God bless each and every one of you. I love my son to death, but DAMN if I don't want to beat the tar out of him half of the time. His mother doted on him and catered to his every whim whilst I worked a twelve hour shift, and his negative behaviors have become incessantly harder and harder to break.

I know that this situation is what's best for both of us. I know that he's at an age where he's going to push the envelope with me at every turn (threatening threes.) I even know that I shouldn't accost myself for being the firm hand of discipline, because I'm here to show him the way the world actually works rather than allow him life in a fantasy world full of wishes and wants. All that being said, it's soul-tearing to reverse all of the positive feedback loops he was exposed to.

My question to you gents would be: is there going to be a time I find peace with the hard decisions? Am I truly going to be able to rectify the negative behaviors he presents due directly to the influence of his wretched mother? How do you all deal with the constant strain?

EDIT: I probably should have clarified this. His mother is trying to get completely out of his life. I have sole custody.