We all make mistakes and mess up at some time in our life, but the key to making things better is apologizing – in the right way and at the right time. However, even as adults, many people do not realize the importance of apologizing and struggle with saying simple words like “I am sorry” – only to end up in much worse and more challenging situations.
Jonah Engler says it is imperative for parents to teach their kids there is no harm in acknowledging you’re wrong, admitting your mistake, and apologizing in return. Most kids know “sorry” as a magic word, and it is the parent’s responsibility to show this word plays its magic in different situations.
If you are at a stage in parenting where you can’t decide whether you should teach your kids to say sorry and why it is important – you’re at the right place. This article by Jonah Engler will definitely be helpful for you.
Why is it Important to Teach Kids to Say “I am Sorry”?
- Will Make them More Empathetic Human Beings.
Empathy is a characteristic that most people, even adults, fail to develop. It is the ability to see other people’s situations, sense their emotions, and imagine yourself in their situation. Empathy helps us become better human beings because we know what a person might be going through and avoid putting them in situations that can even be painful for them.
Similarly, when we teach children how to apologize and why they should apologize – we take them a step closer to understanding empathy. While empathy might be a complex emotion for kids to feel, by learning how to apologize, they are likely to realize how their words can change someone’s feelings. As per Jonah Engler, we teach kids they need to say “sorry” to someone after they’ve made a mistake or hurt them – they will understand what that person felt earlier and how they will feel now.
- It will Help them Build Better Relationships in the Future.
Most relationships do not workout because people have big egos and small hearts. People who find it hard to apologize because of their ego or because they never learned how to always end up with problematic relationships. Because relationships are a two-way street, you can work things out without being open to apologizing for your mistakes.
When we teach our kids how to say sorry by explaining to them when it is needed, we make them more open to relationships. Jonah Engler says this will not only help them now with making new friends, but will stick with them throughout their life when they want to build stronger relationships.
- It will help them with Self Growth.
Being able to realize you’re wrong, admit your mistake, and apologize is much more difficult than it seems – most people are unable to do it throughout their life. One reason behind this could be that they never learned how to apologize and why it is needed. As a parent, you don’t want that for your child; you want your child to be able to learn from their mistakes and become a better person from there.
Jonah Engler says when we teach our kids how to apologize, we allow them to reflect on their behavior. This gives them an opportunity to accept their mistake and become more responsible people – which in turn aids their self-growth journey and pushes them to become better people in the long run.
Conclusion
Being able to say “I am Sorry” is not easy; in fact, accepting your mistakes and apologizing is much more challenging than it looks. But it can only be made easier when we teach to engage in it from the very beginning. As a parent, it’s your job to start teaching your kids the magic words, especially “sorry,” from a very young age to help them become better human beings in the long run.
GAG Staff