" I'm not perfect". I told my teen. " I made a mistake, and I'm sorry." Still, as we sat down for dinner, Superbowl hum in the background, my daughter continued to make her point. Yes, she was right, but that wasn't the point I wanted to make." Listen," I told her.. "We are all imperfect. I can't go back and fix it, but I will try harder next time, and I am sorry I disappointed you."

I wanted this conversation to be over, and yet, it wasn't. I tried again.
" When you are upset over your own mistakes, or failures, I don't yell at you over and over again, Do I? I asked, in my leading, let me teach you a lesson voice, "instead we talk about how you can make a change, and do better going forward." Soon the incident was forgotten, soothed over by Chris Martin, Beyonce, and Bruno. All was good and happy again in our household.

I fell asleep thinking about my daughter, and the constant high standards she holds herself to- the same standards she was holding me to that very night. And how in these very situations what we both need is more kindness, and how I had to stop and tell her how much her words hurt.