Apologize to a Child

There will be times when you will have to apologize to your child. Making a good apology to your child is critical to maintaining a trusting relationship, and shows your child that he or she is a respected individual.

Apologizing to a Young Child

 * 1)  Be calm. Your child may be upset because of the situation, and it's tempting to become upset as well. However, it is critical to be collected.
 * 2)  Offer a simple, sincere apology. Simply start with "I'm really sorry that..." or "I'm so sorry that happened..."
 * 3) * If it's a situation beyond your control, offer an honest explanation (honest within reason, of course). For example: "I'm sorry we can't go to the park today. I know I said we could go, but the weather is really bad and it's not safe."
 * 4) * If the situation was your fault, accept responsibility and offer an explanation about how you will avoid making this mistake again. For example: "I'm sorry I ducked you in the pool. I used to like playing like that when I was your age, so I thought you would too. Next time I'll ask before I do something like that."
 * 5)  Put the incident in perspective. For example, point out that the park will still be there after the storm is over, and you can go play then.

Apologizing to a Teenager

 * 1)  Offer a simple, sincere apology. Simply start with "I'm really sorry that..."
 * 2)  Admit your mistake. You don't have to go into detail, but being upfront about your mistake will go a long way.
 * 3)  Demonstrate that you will not make this mistake in the future.

Tips

 * Admitting you were wrong. We all make mistakes, and your child will respect you more for admitting when you mess up. Remember, you are setting an example for your kids!
 * Do not force your child to apologize--it gives very mixed messages.

Related

 * How to Apologize
 * How to Apologize to Your Older Sister
 * How to Apologize to a Teacher
 * How to Apologize for Cheating on Your Partner