A relative of mine has a rather dominant personality. She likes to take charge and is your typical authoritative figure. Of course, she must win every battle when she fights. But with her son, she is a different person. She once said, in arguing with my son, I lose if I win, I win if I lose.
Another friend of mine shared with me her lost fight with her high school son on his game addiction. When she cut the internet connection at home, he used his cellphone. When she threatened to take away his phone, he said he would go to his friend's house and would never come back. My friend said, I don't want him to run away from home, so let him be. Better having a son at home than a runaway one.
I think, as a parent, both my relative and my friend can put things in a large time frame and are wise in their respective attitude. In both cases, the boys now turn out wonderfully. For parents, in a broad perspective, sometimes being flexible and ready to compromise, not insisting on having our own way can yield better overall results.
A Chinese saying goes, 退一步海阔天空 (Tuì yī bù, hǎi kuò tiān kōng), which means literally "Taking a step back, you will find the boundless sea and the endless sky." It tells people that by stepping back, yielding to your opponent or your children, you can create a win-win situation and open to endless opportunities, greater possibilities, and a much brighter future for all.