April 03, 2021

Quote of the Week

"An apology is a lovely perfume; it can transform the clumsiest moment into a gracious gift." - Margaret Lee Runbeck

How And When To Apologize To Your Child

"Most parents find themselves insisting that their child apologize to a sibling, friend or adult on a regular basis. And yet when we mess up with our child, we often resist apologizing. We sometimes justify this by saying that an apology will lessen the child's respect for us. But just the opposite is true. Don't you have more respect for others when they own up to their mistakes and try to make things better? Apologizing for your own off-track behavior doesn't mean that you don't correct your child when necessary. Don't worry, kids still know who's boss.  The sad truth is that most of us feel uncomfortable apologizing, especially to our children. "

Read on to explore insights from Dr. Laura Markham on how and when to take a moment to apologize to children in wholesome ways. [Read Article]

Reading Corner

Title: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
By: Kevin Henkes
Ages: 4-8

"Lilly loves all sorts of things. She loves school, she loves dressing up, she even grows to love her stinky baby brother, Julius. In fact, Lilly loves everything! But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse to school and can't wait until sharing time to show off the purse and her movie star sunglasses, her teacher, Mr. Slinger, has to take away her prized possessions. Lilly's fury leads her to draw a mean picture of her favorite teacher. It isn't until Mr. Slinger gives her belongings back to her with a kind note and snacks that Lilly realizes she owes Mr. Slinger an apology." -- Publisher

Be the Change

For adults, one of the toughest aspects of truly apologizing to children is resisting the urge to justify or rationalize our off-track behavior.  When you encounter an opportunity to apologize to a child, be mindful to avoid blame and embrace full accountability for your mistake, without making any excuses for your behavior.