Both of my children have, until the last 6 months or so, been quite happy for me to make the majority of decisions regarding all aspects of their lives, from what clothes they wear, what food they eat and what toys they have, through to which school they attend and which children they socialize with.  I have to confess to having become a bit attached to the level of control that this has given me.  Now my little girls are growing up and as they do so they are developing their own distinct personalities and are becoming (for want of a better word) willful! Both girls have developed a tendency towards moodiness, dramatics and will snap or bicker with me over the tiniest things imaginable.  They have become extremely self centred and focus more and more on their own needs.
It’s very important to remember as a parent that you can’t hold the reins for ever and that the pre-teen years are when children begin to experiment with who they are and HAVE to focus on themselves as they discover what sort of person they are going to be as they approach adulthood.  Please believe me, as a control freak, who hates confrontation, I know how hard it can be to live with argumentative kids who want suddenly to make all their own decisions!