It can be difficult to teach a child how to apologize. Many kids are not very good at saying that they are sorry, and the reason for this is they might not yet understand the concept of it. The following are some strategies that you can use to try and teach them how to apologize, and when they should do it.
Use Books
Fortunately, you are not the only one that has faced this difficulty. There are several book titles that can help you impress upon your children why they might need to apologize. This post 7 Books That Help Children Learn to Say “I’m Sorry” is just one of many you can find featuring lists of books that can help you teach your kids about apologies.
Try Television
There are many children’s television programs that touch upon saying you’re sorry. Like the book lists, you can search these out and let your children watch them. Seeing their favorite characters own up to something they did wrong might help encourage them to do the same in their own life.
Model It Yourself
A lot of children do not learn by being told to do something, but instead by being shown how to do it. When parents apologize (at appropriate times, of course), then the children might learn that this is the right thing to do when you make a mistake or do something wrong.
Use Role-Play
You can role-play with the child different scenarios of when it is important to say that you are sorry. This can help the children understand apologies more than when they are upset about something. If you are trying to teach them right after they have done something wrong, then they are often emotional and less likely to understand why they are apologizing. Role-play can remove that component, and therefore might make it easier for them to learn the lesson.
It can be a challenge for some children to understand when and why to apologize. Sometimes the best thing to do is just to talk to them and explain your feelings about why it is important. Hopefully, one or a combination of the mentioned above will help you out.
Hammond Psychology and Associates is the go-to resource for residents seeking psychological evaluations from a licensed psychologist in the Tampa Bay area. Click here to learn more about our Psychological Testing services in our Brandon location.