Authority is the foundation on which your discipline depends. Without respect for your authority, your child is not likely to give consent to what you want — at least not without a lot of struggle. His respect for your authority can be based on love, so that your child goes along with what you want because he values you and your relationship. Or that respect can be based on fear, so that your child dreads knowing what will happen if he or she doesn't go along with what you want, because of the hurt you might inflict.