Being the mother of a 20 month old, I find that I'm having to say I'm sorry a lot these days. "I'm sorry Braden took you're toy." "I'm sorry Braden won't share with you." "I'm sorry Braden pushed you." And if I'm being completely honest, yes, I have had to say, "I'm sorry Braden bit you!"
Of course we're trying to teach Braden to say, "I'm sorry", for himself. But sorry seems to be the hardest word. I think this can be true for some adults as well. I like to think his dad and I are good examples, but let's face it, saying I'm sorry isn't always easy.
Sometimes Braden will say it quite readily, even before he's asked to. Other times, he is so tight lipped, the words just won't come out of his mouth or he mumbles a lukewarm sorry that pains you to watch. Do these halfhearted apologies really mean anything to him?
So how do you teach your toddler to say I'm sorry?
I guess for me, it's like teaching Braden to say please and thank you.
I can also teach him by example and say I'm sorry when I need to, in order to show him that apologies aren't just for kids. There have been times when I've been a less-than-perfect mom (I know, shocking!) and have had apologize to Braden. My hope is that he learns it's okay to make mistakes, it's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about and more importantly, it's easy to ask for forgiveness.
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