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    Teach Your Kids A Better Way to Say Sorry. You Won’t Be Sorry!

    75.1KViews Modified: Jul 4, 2025 · Published: Mar 14, 2018
    By Jacqueline 14 Comments

    18.8K shares
    • 14.5K

    Teach Your Kids A Better Way to Say Sorry...You Won't Be Sorry!

    [Want sincere, effective apologies in your family? Get in on JoEllen’s mighty helpful lesson. My husband and I use this method in our marriage for WAY better communication. You and your kids can, too!]

    “Say sorry to your brother.”

    “But he’s the one who–”

    “Say it!” you insist, an edge of warning in your voice.

    He huffs, rolls his eyes to the side and says flatly, “Sorry.”

    “Say it like you mean it,” you demand.

    “Sorrrry,” he repeats, dragging out the word slowly with bulging eyes and dripping insincerity.

    You sigh in defeat and turn to #2, “Now tell him you forgive him.”

    “But he doesn’t even mean it!”

    “Just say it!”

    “iforgiveyou…” he mutters, looking down to the side dejectedly.

    “Now be nice to each other.”

    Harumphy silence.

    This scenario might sound all too familiar – if not from your experiences as a parent, then at least your own experiences as a child.

    It’s easy to see how it isn’t effective. You, the teacher/parent/authority, probably benefit from it the most because now at least you can feel like you did something about it, allowing you to close the case. Problem solved… now stop bickering.

    You know inside, however, that the offended still feels bitter, because the apology was not sincere.

    And while it may seem like the offender got off easy – not having to show proper remorse or use a sincere tone – he is actually the one who loses out the most.

    He not only learns a poor lesson that he can get away with lies and empty words, but does not have the opportunity to experience true reconciliation and restoration of relationships. He will probably continue inflicting similar offenses, feel less remorse than he should, and may undergo negative character change instead of positive.

    But what alternative do you have? What else are you supposed to do? It’s not like you can force a genuine apology and repentant heart out of him, right?

    Actually, you can. It’s not 100%, but it’s a lot more % than the scenario you read above.

    The Opposite Of A Pathetic Sorry

    I first heard this in a teacher training program. The speaker started off with a rant about how No one teaches children how to apologize properly these days. My ears perked up, because I didn’t really know of any way to teach them other than to… just make them say it: Sorry. I knew it was not very effective, but I hadn’t considered other methods. So I held my pen at the ready, and as he listed off the “proper way to apologize,” I scribbled his words down verbatim:

    I’m sorry for…
    This is wrong because…
    In the future, I will…
    Will you forgive me?

    It made a lot of sense. It seemed a little tedious, but the more I thought about it, the more it became clear that each component was necessary. Even though that was all he said about it that day, it became an integral part of my classroom culture for years to come.

    That day, I went back to my classroom and got some stiff cardboard and wrote the prompts clearly, labeling the poster, “How to Say Sorry.” The next afternoon, I talked with the children about saying sorry properly. We went over the importance of tone of voice and body language; when I used my brattiest voice and spat out, “Well FINE then, SOR-RY!” they all laughed, because the insincerity was so obvious and the scene so familiar. I demonstrated the importance of body language, crossing my arms and rolling my eyes to the side as I mumbled, “Sorry.” When I asked if it seemed like I meant it, they all gleefully cried out “NOOOO!!!” in unison.

    I did a few more impressions of pathetic “sorries,” and then we got down to business. I shared with them that apologies were pointless and meaningless if people didn’t feel like the offender meant it, and if the offender didn’t actually plan to change in the future. Then I went over the poster I had made, and outlined the following points:

    poster on how to apologize

    Active Steps to Asking Forgiveness

    1) I’m sorry for… : 

    Be specific. Show the person you’re apologizing to that you really understand what they are upset about.

    Wrong: I’m sorry for being mean.
    Right: I’m sorry for saying that nobody wants to be your friend.

    2) I’m sorry. That was wrong because… : 

    This might take some more thinking, but this is one of the most important parts. Until you understand why it was wrong or how it hurt someone’s feelings, it’s unlikely you will change. This is also important to show the person you hurt that you really understand how they feel. I can’t tell you how much of a difference this makes! Sometimes, people want to feel understood more than they want an apology. Sometimes just showing understanding– even without an apology– is enough to make them feel better! 

    Wrong: This is wrong because I got in trouble.
    Right: This is wrong because it hurt your feelings and made you feel bad about yourself.

    3) I am sorry. In the future, I will… : 

    Use positive language, and tell me what you WILL do, not what you won’t do.

    Wrong: In the future, I will not say that.
    Right: In the future, I will keep unkind words in my head.

    Now let’s practice using positive language. It’s hard at first, but you’ll get better. Can anyone think of a positive way to change these incorrect statements?

    Wrong: In the future, I won’t cut.
    (Right: In the future, I will go to the back of the line.)

    Wrong: In the future, I won’t push.
    (Right: In the future, I will keep my hands to myself.)

    Wrong: In the future, I won’t take your eraser.
    (Right: In the future, I will ask you if I can borrow your eraser.)

    4) Will you forgive me?

    This is important to try to restore your friendship. Now, there is no rule that the other person has to forgive you. Sometimes, they won’t. That’s their decision. Hopefully, you will all try to be the kind of friends who will forgive easily, but that’s not something you automatically get just because you apologized. But you should at least ask for it.

    As a teacher, I know that asking for forgiveness puts the offender in an uncomfortable and vulnerable place of humility. However, this seemingly obvious yet widely underused phrase is very, very powerful for both the offender and the offended. It is the key to reconciliation and often the first step in restoring friendship.

    I also know that the second item, “This is wrong because…” is powerful in changing the longer-term behavior of the offending child. Forcing the child to put themselves in another’s shoes will increase empathy and help them understand better how they have hurt someone else. This exercise in trying to see themselves from someone else’s perspective can be very powerful.

    Role Play How to Say You’re Sorry and Mean It!

    After this talk, I had some volunteers come to the front to role-play some apologies. We paused at various points and reflected on how to improve the apology: was the body language sincere? Did the apologizer really capture how the other person felt? Sometimes, I would whisper instructions to one student to roll his eyes, look away, mumble, or phrase something a certain way. The students treated it like a game, trying to spot what was amiss in the apology. This was very effective, because when the time eventually came for real apologies, everyone knew we were all going by the same rules, and the expectation was set for a sincere, thorough apology.

    When I first tried out this “new” old-fashioned apology with my students, I didn’t expect any long-lasting results. I just wanted to see what would happen. But what happened in the weeks and months following simply blew me away. It started with our weekly Friday afternoon class meetings. We already had a good thing going here, with the kids “throwing” kudos to each other with compliments and appreciations: “I’d like to give a kudo to John for asking me to play with him at recess,” or “I’d like to give a kudo to Kylie for working really hard on her writing this week!” It was cute, and students enjoyed both giving and receiving the kudos.

    One week, I decided to review our apology lesson, and then asked the students if anyone needed to “clean-up” something that happened this week with an apology to someone in the classroom. When I asked, I meant for any volunteers to take their business outside.

    Vulnerable Teachability

    My first volunteer, however, started apologizing to her friend right there on the spot in front of the whole class. Before I could stop her, she began blubbering through her apology, reciting each line like she’d planned this for days. Maybe she had. I could see the relief on her face when her friend accepted her apology. The girls smiled shyly and I knew we were onto something good. Before I knew it, students were raising their hands left and right, eager to make amends with people they had offended. Some of the “offended” people hadn’t even realized that they had ever been wronged, but happily forgave anyway.

    Then a boy raised his hand. A boy most of the kids did not like for all the usual reasons– he was bossy and rude and generally unpleasant to be around. He apologized to the whole class for being really, really annoying and stated his plans to change. I was among the many individuals exchanging puzzled but impressed glances, and indeed it was one big step in this child’s personal growth. It was especially heartwarming to see how his classmates interacted with him afterward. They really wanted to give him a second chance, and they sincerely tried to help him be his best. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him to admit to the class that he was annoying, but it was a powerful first step in changing his relationships with everyone. While not perfect, his behavior improved greatly after this event and I am glad I gave him the tools and space to “reset” this way.

    As you can imagine, this meeting took much longer than usual. In the weeks that followed, I had students take their apologies outside and every week, there were takers. Students relished in the opportunity to admit wrongdoing, share intent to change, and restore friendships. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing. They walked out stiff and uneasy, and returned with bright smiles on their faces.

    The kids weren’t the only ones to benefit from apologies. I did, too. There used to be times when I’d call on a student and the student wouldn’t be paying attention. The whole class would sit, waiting impatiently for the classmate to get up to speed and answer the question. Usually, it was the same kids that weren’t paying attention and held up the whole class. One day, surprising even myself, I stopped, turned to the offending student, and demanded, “Apologize.”

    “Huh?”

    “Apologize. To me.”

    “Um…” he began, looking around bewildered, “I’m sorry for… not paying attention. This is wrong because… I wasn’t paying attention…”

    “Try again.”

    “…because you’re upset?” he offered.

    “Nope.”

    “…because I’m not learning?” he asked.

    “Yes, and?”

    “And because…” he glanced down nervously.

    “Because,” I finished for him, “Now the whole class is waiting for you and you’re wasting our time.”

    “Because the whole class–”

    “Start from the beginning.”

    Yeah, I can be pretty tough on them sometimes. Tough love.

    He started again, “I’m sorry for not paying attention. This is wrong because I’m not learning and the whole class is waiting and I’m wasting their time. In the future, I will pay attention. Will you forgive me?”

    “Yes,” I said, then turned to the others, “Class?”

    The students nodded their heads and we resumed our lesson. No one missed a beat the rest of the day. The next time it happened, weeks later, the offending student was quick to apologize, articulating how her inattention affected herself and her classmates, and was quick to change.

    Heart Change & Making A Difference

    It was no longer a matter of embarrassment or shame, but simply acknowledging 1) what went wrong, 2) who was affected, 3) how to change, and 4) asking forgiveness. I couldn’t believe how much more focused all of my students were once we began these apologies for not paying attention! It was astoundingly more effective than giving them individual warnings. I think it had something to do with feeling beholden to the entire class. Either way, win for me, and win for them.

    One day, my principal came to inform me that a couple of my students had gotten in a fight with some other kids during lunch. I started to let out a discouraged sigh when she continued to share with me how impressed she was with my students. Impressed? Turns out one of them quickly offered a thorough, 4-step apology. Immediately after, my other student also apologized for his part. She was totally floored by their responses, and wanted to find me to tell me what happened.

    While I was not that surprised that they were so good at apologizing (there tend to be a handful of children who get more practice than the rest…), I could not have been more proud!

    These real, meaningful saying sorry apologies had made their way out of my classroom, onto the playground, and into the principal’s office! Maybe, just maybe, they would bring it into other spaces in their lives. A teacher can hope.

    JoEllen the authorI’m not sure if my students carry this formal apology home, or if they even remember it in fifth grade. But I know saying sorry in a meaningful way works, and I know I’ll be teaching it to my own children someday. Try it on your own kids sometime…you won’t be sorry!

    JoEllen is a former teacher, a dedicated wife and wonderfully engaged mother at home. She writes for friends who are interested in Christ-centered marriages, and those interested in teaching children over at Cuppacocoa.com.

    Have you taught this to your children or seen it done with others?

    “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
                  but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” ~Prov. 28:13

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    Teach Your Kids A Better Way to Say Sorry...You Won't Be Sorry!, drawing of stick men asking forgiveness or saying sorry

    ©2025 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved

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    « Should Children Be Sitting Through Worship In ‘Big Church’?
    Strabismus (Eye), Facial (Nerve Damage) & Scoliosis: Look For It »
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    Related

    Hi! I’m Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charlotte Moore

      March 15, 2018 at 4:32 am

      WOW! Never have heard this before. Wish I had heard this when our boys were little.

      Reply
    2. Amanda

      March 22, 2018 at 11:26 am

      This is amazing! Thank you for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    3. wrae

      March 28, 2018 at 11:25 am

      This is very insightful! I have a son who is on the autism spectrum, and he has issues with empathy. I may use this with him.

      Reply
    4. Elise

      April 01, 2018 at 2:49 pm

      This is such an important skill to learn. I love this insightful post.

      Reply
    5. Heather Pluth

      August 06, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      I will be using this as an adult for the one’s I LOVE

      Reply
    6. Adam Wilkinson

      February 25, 2021 at 10:09 am

      Good morning Jacqueline!
      Thank you for this incredibly powerful & important lesson. My wife just turned me on to your site and I’m so grateful she did! We will most definitely be implementing these methods for saying sorry in our home and with our children.
      I would love to incorporate this topic and lesson into an episode of my podcast and would be honored if you would join me for a brief zoom interview? Is there a coming evening when we could set up a time for an interview? My podcast is the Derate The Hate podcast and our mission statement is “Bettering the world one attitude at a time”
      Please contact me via email if this is something you’d be interested in. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
      Respectfully,
      Adam (WILK) Wilkinson

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        February 25, 2021 at 1:51 pm

        Aw Adam, I am so sorry that I have to decline, however I am grateful that you thought of me and appreciate the blog. Praise God!
        There are many reasons: I have a serious discomfort of any camera, my face has major scarring from a recent bad case of shingles (from a shedding vaccine), and I am terrible behind with time management issues with scheduling/writing the blog, my TRS medical clients, and my growing family with precious grandbabies just arrived and more coming!
        Could you send me a link to your podcasts so I can see what it is you do and see if there is a fit for a bit later in the year?
        Thank you for understanding!
        Abundant blessings,
        Jacqueline

        Reply
    7. Janet

      February 28, 2021 at 12:14 am

      I’m sharing this wonderful story and encouraging practical skill on my fb page. I hope it gets so ingrained in each reader (and all of those students) that it becomes part of our normal conversations.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        February 28, 2021 at 11:12 pm

        Janet, Yes! I had a goal! I wanted it to be so natural for me to apologize to my family when I erred or outright sinned, that our children just learned it from the modeling!
        Of course, I failed a lot, but with the Lord’s help it came more and more naturally and sincerely and they did catch it!
        It has made life so much more less tense and relationships just better!
        God bless you for sharing it!
        Jacqueline

        Reply
    8. Annie Abraham

      May 04, 2023 at 12:41 pm

      This is so good. I made notes. Wish I had learnt this way back. Better late than never…thanks

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        May 05, 2023 at 3:34 pm

        Hi, Annie! Yes, I had to learn the hard way, too, but thankfully the Lord opened my eyes before it was too late.
        Yes, I don’t think it is ever too late!
        Blessings,
        Jacque

        Reply
    9. Colleen

      April 27, 2025 at 10:33 am

      Sadly, the illustration at the first of the parent making the child say sorry is all too familiar.

      that four step apology is wonderful and I wish I had learned this earlier. It brings making ammends to a relational level.

      A child can learn to say sorry without understanding what they had done wrong in dealing with conflicts. this is simply slapping on a bandaid to a relationship and often the one you offended doesn’t want “sorry”. they want genuine understanding and mutual satisfaction. (unless they are a narcissist 😬)

      I also wanted to add this thought to dealing with conflicts w/ one’s children because I can feel for the little child who was made to apologize and how unjust this situation is.
      In the first illustration the parent forces the “offender” to apologize. we see the offender saying, “but he was the one that…” and the parent immediately shuts him up. this is very abusive. It is often more complicated than just that the one child offended and parents need to hear out both sides before trying to slap their kids into shape. They don’t need to slap them into shape at all! but rather *lead them to Christ. there needs to be understanding shown so that even if one child did a greater wrong, their initial cause should not be unheard or made mute.
      God is somebody who helps us see where we did wrong while also hearing us out where we were wronged. He is just. he does not make one wrong canceled out by the other. Only Jesus’ blood applied to it can right it.

      If we, as parents, only tell our kid to fix the outward misbehavior without listening and understand why the misbehavior was there, we may cause some terrible injustices.
      for instance, Lets say that boy was teasing his little sister and pulling her hair. yes, it is right that he be led to apologize to her and repent…but often parents ignore their own part in the conflict. lets say the parents favored the little girl and always praised her cuteness, but had no loving words for the boy and often only spelled out corrections to him because he was ‘bad’? this makes the situation terribly unjust. if the parents would stop and listen to the boys reasons for hitting his little sister, then they may come to understand that they were creating the problem.

      and I understand this article was not focused on this aspect of the Just-say-sorry method. so, please know I am not trying to pick it apart. Just wanted to add that little thought.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        April 27, 2025 at 4:34 pm

        Colleen, thank you for that thoughtful comment and insight! xoxo ~J

        Reply
        • Colleen

          April 27, 2025 at 10:25 pm

          Thank you, Mrs. Jacqueline. 🙂

          Reply

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