Angry Parenting

I need help. Maybe it is just because it has been a very VERY trying week. Or maybe I am not getting enough sleep. But I find myself EXTREMELY angry at my kids on a pretty regular basis. In fact, I speak to them sometimes in a manner that I would NEVER DREAM of speaking to anyone else in. Why is that? How is it that I am able to use a tone and show so much anger to the 2 people that are among the most important in my life?

I readily admit that there are times when I am truly at a loss as how to discipline my kids. I am aware that anger doesn't work. It doesn't accomplish anything except make me feel terrible and make my kids sad.

So, how does one deal with a kid who blatantly ignores you when you tell him to do something for the 20th time? How can you "discipline with love" as so many websites and books tell you to do?

I want to break my habit of becoming angry and then disciplining my kids, I just don't know what the alternative should be.

Parenting is SO HARD.