Never be afraid to admit you made a mistake and to apologize.
In case you haven’t noticed, your kids can see right through you! It’s no use pretending to be something you aren’t in front of your teen. Just as much as a parent hates to see a bad attitude in a teen, a teen must hate to see the “superior” attitude in a parent. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:10, “Only by pride cometh contention.” Are you too proud to apologize to your teen if you realize you’ve made a mistake? If you have contention (arguing and/or fighting) between you and your teen, then there is pride in your heart which shouldn’t be there!
Remember this little illustration: When a duck is swimming, he glides across the water seemingly without effort on the surface. However, his feet are paddling furiously under the surface! Parenting is similar to that picture. A parent wants to give the impression that everything is under control. However, the parent must be working furiously to make sure everything IS under control! Your teen will be glad to know you are humble enough to admit a mistake. Apologizing to your teen will help him or her relate to you better. Your teen usually is well aware when you’ve made a mistake anyway.
Although the parent should be the coach and be more mature, parents and teens alike are all prone to make mistakes in life. All are on equal footing in that area, no matter the age difference!
