Saying sorry

[Lee-Bee]

I make them go check on their friend and see if they need help. So if they pushed them over they go check if they need help up etc. I encourage them to say sorry, in hopes of setting a pattern, but if the child is refusing (for what ever reason) then I don't force it. They have a consequence of their action and that is the result of their action. Being forced to say sorry doesn't fix anything and only lets a person know that they can do as they please, harm who they want and just falsely say 'sorry' to be forgiven. Saying sorry doesn't mean a free pass and I can't help but feel that when we force them to say sorry we are giving them the impression it is a free pass.

They naturally learn to say sorry through modeling, encouragement and by learning to empathize and care for others.

[Fun&care]

I make them go check on their friend and see if they need help. So if they pushed them over they go check if they need help up etc. I encourage them to say sorry, in hopes of setting a pattern, but if the child is refusing (for what ever reason) then I don't force it. They have a consequence of their action and that is the result of their action. Being forced to say sorry doesn't fix anything and only lets a person know that they can do as they please, harm who they want and just falsely say 'sorry' to be forgiven. Saying sorry doesn't mean a free pass and I can't help but feel that when we force them to say sorry we are giving them the impression it is a free pass.

They naturally learn to say sorry through modeling, encouragement and by learning to empathize and care for others.

I don't see how having a consequence for the behavior plus having to apologize equals getting a free pass? I think it's quite the opposite!

I model saying "sorry" from a very early age so it hardly ever becomes an issue later on. But if it does it only takes one instance of them getting a time out for refusing to apologize and after that they get it and I don't usually have to resort to the time out again.