Teaching a kid how to say sorry and actually mean it is easier said than done. It is a mammoth task as children understand things on a very different plane than us. Kids, in all their innocence, are not fully equipped to understand the repercussions of their actions. Many a times, in order to appease an adult, a child may utter the words “ I am sorry” without even understanding the meaning behind the apology. At other times, he or she may not even mouth the words if the child is anything like my two year old. The art of making a child apologize truly from within is a continuous work-in-progress and a well honed approach as detailed below will help you achieve the same. This article will discuss the tips How to teach your kid to say sorry.
Lead by example:
A child learns the most from its home environment. Be vocal about being sorry when you have had an unfortunate incident and make your child understand that sorry is not just a word for children but for everyone who is in the wrong. I make it a point to apologize to my son for small things like dropping his favorite toy or hitting him with the ball while playing in the park so that he learns that saying sorry is something very natural and helps in mending hurt feelings caused by his actions. This is the best tip to How To Teach Your Kid To Say Sorry.
Do not force an apology:
Do not force your kid to apologize in the heat of the moment as this could lead to two situations: one in which the child says sorry without meaning it, just to get you off the back; the other where the child may completely ignore you and turn mum just in order to spite you. Thus, it is important to first let the situation simmer down a little and then start by asking your child the motivation behind such an action and making him understand the negative impact of his actions. When angry, even adults fail to see the light so the same is applicable to small children as well.
Apology even when not guilty:
After a fight a child may not be ready to apologize cause he thinks the other party to be guilty and the instigator of the fight as well. Here, it is important to teach the child that he is should be sorry for participating as fighting in general is not healthy and such situations should always be avoided.
Last but not the least, it is imperative to make children understand that merely apologizing is not a free pass to escape punishment or repeat the same action again.
Feeling sorry is a way of mending negative situations and strengthening relationships. I hope these tips to How To Teach Your Kid To Say Sorry may be useful to you all Moms..
Happy Parenting with Budding Star
