My son has developed an attitutude where he basically ignores you when you are calling him. So one day last week, I saw him put something in his mouth so I called ou to him, he ignored me. As soon as I got up and started walking toward him, he ran to me and jumped on me and handed the thing to me. :) He thinks he is using his little brains on me.

Maybe the child thinks that you are going to spank him or something. From the way I see it, this is a good way for him to learn how to obey older people. Psychology is the only thing that we can do in order to control them.

You haven't mentioned how old he is. If he is in the terrible twos category, that is about the time they begin to test the waters. Understand, too, as has been suggested that they are FAR more intelligent, perceptive and witty than we adults give them credit for. Don't take it as a personal affrontal. Enjoy the growth and development. Give room for his personality to take shape, as long as it isn't too rebellious against authority, keeping in mind that such respect is moreso for safety reasons as opposed to shaping an automoton.

Sounds like normal limit testing to me! He just wanted to see if mommy meant business.

No need to spank them to put the fear into them; check out Parenting with Love and Logic. Excellent books.

I was raised being spank for not obeying my parents commands. Now that I am a father myself, I have learned a lesson that spanking a child and talking it out with the child has the same result. Make an agreement with your son that when he will do it again, there will be a consequence. Make him decide on what the punishment should be and "always" fulfill the agreement because that is the only way you can set the child's mind that you serious about the agreement.