One small victory for Momma

The "terrific two's" ... I love Halle dearly, and there are so many moments every day that I wouldn't trade for anything. And yet the temper tantrums, attitude, and constant pushing of the boundaries and rules wears my patience thin. A part of that is because I handle everything in this house on my own every day, just like millions of other single parents, without any break. One of the toughest challenges is enforcing the rules and punishments even when it's hard, even when it breaks my heart, and even when I'm so tired I just want to cave.
Yesterday Halle refused to pick up her toys. I took away her Elmo TMX (her new favorite toy), she still didn't pick up the toys. I took away her notebook, she still didn't pick up her toys. I asked over and over, I told her she would go in time out if she didn't pick up the toys. This has been an ongoing battle because she should be helping mommy around the house a little, and especially picking up after herself when she's done playing. She threw herself on the floor and screamed at me. Finally I took her into her room and told her she was in timeout, and this time I did something drastically different. I shut the door. Normally I leave the door open so I can see what she's doing, but she just runs out and hides from me and I have to keep taking her back to her room. She screams, she says she's sorry, she says she loves mommy. My heart is breaking, how can I leave her in her room?? I go back in and I tell her it's either stay in her room or pick up her toys. All she says is sorry. I close the door again.
I come back about five minutes later and ask her if she's going to pick up her toys, she says yes and that she's sorry. She comes out and I show her what I want her to do, picking up a few toys and showing her how to put them in the toy bin. Success!! She needed a little encouragement but she picked them all up!
It was hard, it's always hard to stay the course, but I know in the end we'll both be better off for it. She needs to know that there are rules, and she needs to know that when I ask her to do something she needs to do it. There are consequences for disobeying and breaking rules.
Kudos to both mom and Halle for navigating the ever changing world of toddlerhood.