We tend to have disputes with the people around us, but if you ask me, I’d say that solving issues with family is hardest. When it comes to disobeying your parents—which then leads to disappointing them and losing their trust—getting the relationship back to normal is not an easy one.

One day, I had a “master plan” of telling my mom that I would be at my friend’s house, when in fact I was planning to go to the mall to do some non-permitted shopping.

I arrived at the mall feeling like a happy-go-lucky kid thinking that I got away with my “master plan”, but once I walked outside of the department store, I realized that my mom was there and that she had been spying on me the whole time.

Long story short, I ended up getting an entire speech on why I shouldn’t lie about where I am. I was left with a guilty conscience for the entire night, but I figured that the best thing to do the next morning was to approach my mom with an apology.

After that incident, I was definitely grounded for a long time, and it took a while to earn my parents’ trust again. Eventually, I showed them that they could trust me by never doing the same thing again.

So here’s the tip you’ve been waiting for: don’t lie to your parents, but just in case you ever do and you get caught, approach your parents sincerely about the issue, take responsibility, and apologize.

If you do not follow any of these steps, you won’t get anywhere. Your parents will most likely end up being disappointed, and their trust in you will go poof. So, as I say, whenever you find yourself stuck in a big mess, ask Albery.