Is there a magic fix?

Sunday, unfortunately was another stressful day. We went on a family trip to Fairhaven Lake and the children really tested me. They wouldn't listen, they whined when we wouldn't spend money on them. While we stayed calm and firm with them I have to accept that fundamentally I must be doing something wrong. I've been quite down recently and I can tell it's having an effect on the kids as well as taking it's toll on my patience levels. My children are mostly well behaved and polite but recently everything seems like a battle. Once I'd pushed past the guilt that this acceptance triggered in me I knew I had to do something, so I read a lot of blogs. It was comforting to read other people's experience in dealing with sibling rivalry, "tweenie" behaviour and having 4 year olds that won't listen. I also came across a book called 1-2-3 magic. It's an Americal parenting book and i'm always wary or a) American self-help manuals and b) being overly prescriptive in my parenting but I am desperate and willing to try anything that will help my children. I barely have enough energy to look after myself yet I know that my children are suffering for it. Maybe someone telling me what to do will bypass that uncertainty, that guilt and that feeling of helplessness and frustration. Wow, I do sound crazy don't I? Well I downloaded the book to my kindle. I'll have a read and see what they say and maybe try some of the techniques that fit into my family. Can I take the best bits and leave the rest? Will it work? Is there really a magic fix? Only time will tell.