I think whatever approach you take to parenting it can be, at times, disheartening. You have chosen the road you have because you know it is best for your girls, but i don't think it is particularly harder than another road. grass is always greener and all that.
Imagine if you chose to gentle parent and CC your little girls, and then, 2 years down the track you were paying the price.

Don't get me wrong, when i was walking up and down the deck for 2 hours trying to settle #2 last night, i wished i was kicking back having a margarita! But we do things the way we do, not for now, but for the future. It's tough, but you are doing a great job.