
Apologizing to kids for your parenting mistakes is important. But how to apologize to your kid when you know you are wrong? Find more about the importance of apologizing to kids and few rules to make this process easier and peaceful.We may be grown-ups but we still make mistakes unknowingly and unintentionally. Sometimes, we may even
fight with our kids and we may need to apologize to our kids for our
mistake. Apologizing to your kids when you know you are wrong is necessary so that you do not end up hurting the ones closest to you.
Make an Unconditional Apology to Your Children
An unconditional apology means standing up and taking responsibility of your actions in front of your child no matter what. An unconditional apology is something like “I was wrong for doing that and I am really sorry”. When we are wrong we admit we are wrong and we do not make excuses for our action. We should not point finger at our child and try to explain why you did the wrong by using words like “but”, applying condition and sending them a wrong signal regarding your apology. You might want to explain your child why you did it because you presume you know what is best for them but you need to understand that your actions caused her pain and anxiety, which is deserving of a sincere apology. By applying conditions, like using “but”, you negate everything you said before it.
Ask Your Child Humbly for Forgiveness
The most important part of your apology is the sincerity you show while you do it. Always apologize whole heartedly when you
say sorry to your child, showing that you care about their feelings and you will try not to hurt them again. Look your child in the eye and say “I am sorry because I hurt you by…” which will really show you that you regret what you did and will make sincere amends. Take complete responsibility for what you did even when someone else is partially at fault because your child’s happiness is your responsibility and you have to follow through to make sure your relationship with them remains cordial. Forgiveness is not granted without asking so we need to ask for it. After you make your apology, you need to sincerely ask your child to forgive you and mend the wear tear in your relationship.
Follow Up to Your Apology with Action
This step makes your apology more effective as you now put your words in action. Your apology to your child needs to speak as loudly as words. If you make the same mistake again, even after apologizing to your child, this can lead her to distrust you and lose
respect for you. In order to maintain a healthy relationship between you and your child, you need to offer reparations. You can take steps to make it right if possible. You can show your child that you are truly sorry with your meaningful gestures. However, there will be times when your apology will not be enough to set things well right away. In those moments, you need to learn to give your child time to heal and try to be considerate to his feelings.
Give Your Child the Time She Needs to Heal
Your child may not accept your apology and grant you forgiveness at that very moment, so you cannot expect things to get better right away. If your child is young, she might get over the small issues but if the problem at hand is comparatively serious, then your child may have an issue dealing with your apology as viewing you as the parent figure again. In that case, all you can do is to give your child time to warm up to you again. You will have to be
patient and considerate of your child’s feelings during the entire time. With time, your child will realize that you have changed and you will not hurt her again.
You can start over by building and maintaining a healthy relationship with your child that is based on trust and love. Show your child the love and affection she deserves and learn from your past mistakes, to start anew.
How to apologize to children? How should parents accept their mistakes in front of children? Why is it important for parents to apologize to children on making mistakes? Discuss here.