Saying Sorry

Imagine this…

You just yelled at your child. You said something you didn’t mean. You felt overwhelmed and frustrated, and it all happened so fast.

Now, you feel horrible.

Every parent has had moments like these, myself included. And our emotions are also valid.

But when we have those moments, it’s important not to dwell on the guilt. The guilt is a cue that we’ve done something we’re uncomfortable with–something we need to repair.

So, this is an opportunity to model to children what it looks like to take ownership of our behaviours.

When you apologize to your child, you teach them that it’s important to admit when they’ve made a mistake.

You also teach them how to make amends when those mistakes are hurtful to someone else.

Your apology can help repair the bond between you and your child and create an opportunity to work together to solve a problem.

Apologizing can sound like:

“I’m sorry I yelled earlier. Can we try again?”

“I should have been more patient. I realize you needed more time to finish up.”

“I want to apologize for assuming you weren’t being honest with me. I should have asked you about it first. Can we have a do-over?”

Mrs Annie Williams, College Counsellor