Saying sorry can be a challenge for both kids and adults, but it is important to teach your children how to apologize early on. By setting an example for your children, over time they will start to understand what an apology is and the ways in which they can apologize. Nanny Robina tells us that by each stage of childhood, there are different things that you can do as a parent to help teach your child what it means to apologize.

Age 2:

Toddlers won’t necessarily understand what the word sorry means at such a young age, but they do understand and mimic actions. By making an apology into an action, such as giving a hug or returning a toy, toddlers will begin to understand how some of their actions may be hurtful to others.

Ages 4-6:

As children start to get older, their understanding of what an apology is will start to develop. By this stage of childhood, children will start to learn how to convey an apology. It is important to teach your child the difference between apologizing for doing something wrong and apologizing for getting caught. Try to encourage your children to realize and understand what they are apologizing for and show them how they can act differently next time.

Ages 8-10:

By this stage of childhood, your children should have a good understanding of what an apology means and when to use one. They should also be taught at this stage that even though an apology may be given, it may not always be accepted by the other person. The important thing for them to know is that they have given a sincere apology and have learned that their actions may hurt people.

To see more of Nanny Robina’s tips, check out the video below: