ParentTip: The Power of Apologies

We’ve all been there: frustrated, loud-voiced, faced with a sudden realization that we are not handling a tough situation the way we intended.  Even moments when we’re coming up short are opportunities to guide and teach our children.

In fact, acknowledging mistakes and making repairs with our own kids provides some very valuable relational lessons.  They too will (and often do) lose their temper; they will occasionally hurt and disappoint people they care about.  Personally demonstrating how to take responsibility for a mistake and care for another person, even when that person is three feet tall and may or may not be personally responsible for the total destruction of a brand new rug, is a powerful way to emphasize the importance of holding yourself accountable and treating others with respect and dignity.  When we apologize to our own children, we allow them to experience the comfort of being on the receiving end of an apology and let them in on the secret that even parents aren’t perfect – everyone makes mistakes and everyone can take steps to recover from them.

Follow the link below for some tips on apologizing to our own children:

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/parenting/apologizing-to-your-child