There was a young boy who was disciplined for something he adamantly proclaimed he didn’t do. Later, the boy’s innocence was proven. It had, in fact, been his brother who had committed the offense. When questioned about the mistake, the parent said, “Well, that’s okay. That one is for all the times you misbehaved and weren’t caught.” While the story is meant to be humorous, it has a thought-provoking message.

How should we as parents respond when we have undoubtedly messed up with or in front of our children?

Many parents are afraid to admit their mistakes to their children. They worry that their confession of wrong-doing will be like Kryptonite to Superman and cause them to lose some of their parental “power.” Somehow they believe that by divulging their lack of perfection, they will arm their children for disobedience. 

However, in truth, there are many benefits to making a clean break of it, especially when it involves our children. So, in true David Letterman style, here are the top ten reasons to say to our children “I’m sorry. I was wrong” to our children.

Number Ten

Failing to confess our weaknesses and errors only serves to distance us from our children.

Number Nine

Admitting our mistakes helps our children learn that it’s okay to admit their own.

Number Eight

Our children can learn from our mistakes and hopefully avoid a few of the same.

Number Seven 

Saying, “I was wrong” promotes better communication with our children.

Number Six

“Coming clean” keeps us humble.

Number Five

When we “’fess up” we teach our children the importance of honesty.

Number Four

Owning up to our missteps opens the door for us to explore with our children both the Biblical lifestyle and our behavior choices.

Number Three

Making a “clean break of it” gives our children the opportunity to learn how to forgive.

Number Two

Acknowledging our errors helps children understand that only one person is perfect—God.

And (drum roll, please) the

Number One reason we should not be afraid to say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong."

Admitting our failures gives us a wonderful way to help children learn about God’s forgiveness and grace.

No one is suggesting that parents share every failure or mistake with their children, but inevitably we will make mistakes either with or in front of our children. When we do, we should remember that we don’t have to be superheroes to be super parents. Say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong,” learn from the experience, and help your children reap the benefits.