Saying Sorry Can Be Tricky Business

The words “I’m sorry” carry a lot of weight, if they are said from the heart.  On the contrary, an insincere apology is meaningless.  So when it comes to our kids resolving disputes, forcing a child to apologize when they don’t mean it introduces other onforeseen issues. In a previous blog post I wrote entitled Why Parents Shouldn’t Force Their Kids To Say I’m Sorry, I explain why, and discuss how focusing on the future can be just as impactful.

 

One of my readers passed along yet another wonderful blog post written by a teacher and I thought it was a great example of how apologies can be structured to ensure the one saying sorry has put some thought into how their behaviour impacted those around them and how it could be done differently in the future.  It’s well worth the read:  http://www.cuppacocoa.com/a-better-way-to-say-sorry/

 

While this process will take some training, they are life lessons that can be carried forward into adulthood.  After all, we know what it feels like to receive an empty apology…and we all know what it feels like to give a curt “fine” to an apology.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we had been taught these lessons as kids?