How To Apologize | Kids Shows

Have you ever done something wrong? Ha! Well... Who's asking? Uh... No? Turns out, we've all done something we regret. Something that damaged a friendship or hurt someone else. You hurt our friends! And when you do, it's natural to feel guilty. Your conscience kicks in and tells you to make things right. You're going to have to make things right! But the question is, how do you even do that? Usually, the first step is to apologize. It's not easy, but it's the right thing to do, and it will save you from lots of unneeded relationship grief. Today, we're giving you five tips on how to apologize. Number one, consider your actions. The first thing to think about before you apologize is this. Consider whether you actually did anything wrong. Now, we're not saying you should try to rationalize your behavior and come up with some grand scheme as to why you don't actually owe someone an apology. When you say what happened was... Don't do that. But sometimes, you haven't actually done anything that you need to apologize for. Silence is violence! Wait a second, I didn't do anything wrong! Surprisingly, some people will be upset with you when you do good. Never apologize to appease a bullying mob or because you've spoken what is true and someone disagrees with you. Apologize! Speaking the truth and standing against the crowd to do what's right is not wrong. It's important to distinguish between true guilt and pressure from others. If your conscience tells you that you've done something bad... I shouldn't have done that! You should stop and think about it. Other times, you may not actually realize the harm you did. If someone tells you that what you did is wrong, listen carefully to what they say with humility and empathy. Sometimes people don't say anything when you hurt them, but their attitude towards you changes. They may stop talking to you or just show discomfort when you're around. Pay attention when people change their behavior towards you. Often times, it can be good to ask... Have I done anything to upset you? Yes! People will appreciate the gesture. I appreciate your gesture. Wow! Number two. Identify the wrong. If you know you did something wrong, determine exactly what you did. Do your best to identify it by name. Don't just move on with your life as if nothing happened and keep making the same mistake over and over. Examine yourself and consider your actions carefully. It takes courage, but it's worth it. Think about how your action violated a common standard of behavior, like the Ten Commandments and the human dignity of the other person. Think about it! Do better! What was your motivation? Was it jealousy? Selfishness? Silliness? Or just ignorance? Ask yourself what you should have done instead. Number three. Admit the wrong. Once you have clearly determined what you did wrong, go to the person as soon as possible. Tell them firmly what you did and why it was wrong. It's not enough to just say, sorry. You hurt me! Sorry! Sheesh! Some people treat apologizing like a tool to get a monkey off their back. Sorry! But a true apology comes from the heart. You have to recognize three things. One, you did something wrong. Two, the wrong hurt someone else. And three, you regret the wrong you did. Telling them in person is best, but a written apology could also work. It may help to write down what you want to say before speaking to the other person. In essence, say, I'm sorry for stealing your car. Include why it was wrong in your apology. It was wrong, and I broke the eighth commandment of the law of the Lord. That wasn't right. I just wanted to apologize. Don't excuse what you did, and don't seek to justify why you did it. I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't angered me and put it right in front of me, bro. Any attempt to make it sound not as bad as it was will sound insincere, and your apology will be, and should be, refused. Don't shift blame to anyone else for your actions, no matter who else was involved. You are responsible for your own choices, good or bad. Take responsibility for yourself. Admit what you did, and acknowledge the hurt or damage the other person suffered. Number four, ask forgiveness. It might seem like a little kid thing to ask for forgiveness. Now boys, just apologize to each other. But it really is a lot deeper than that. This may be the most important step. When you've wronged someone else, you become indebted to that person. You've taken or deprived someone of something they were owed. If you lie, you've deprived someone from knowing the truth. If you've stolen, you've deprived them of their property. If you degrade someone else, you've deprived them of their dignity. Since it was your actions that caused it, you are responsible for restoring that debt. You need to repay and get forgiveness of that debt. Ask directly. I am so sorry. Can you forgive me? Wait for an answer, and give the person time if they do not answer right away. If they accept, look for a way to show it, such as shaking hands or a friendly hug. If they do not accept, perhaps try again later. If they continue not to forgive you, just let it go. You can't control the other person. As long as you do the right thing, that's all that really matters. Don't get bitter or angry because they don't respond the way you want them to. Well fine, be that way. Why, don't ya? Yeah, probably shouldn't do that. You have made a sincere attempt to reconcile, and the rest is up to them. Number five, work to make it right and not repeat the wrong. Sometimes the wrong we do causes a lot of damage. That's a lot of emotional damage. Often times it's not enough to just say sorry. Excuse me, that's mine. Sorry. Take action to repair damage as much as possible, such as payment for broken property. Hey, I'm sorry. Here's some replacement snackies. Or correction to what has been said to others in order to repair the wounded person's reputation. This is called making amends, or restitution. If you don't know how to make it right, ask the other person if there's anything you can do. But more importantly, make a commitment to yourself to stop whatever harmful action caused the problem in the first place. No, we're not, we're a first class. This is called repentance, in other words, turning away from destructive behavior and trying to do what is right. If you end up repeating the wrong, repeat the apology process again. And with each wrong, look for ways to grow as a person and put your mistakes behind you. So let's recap what we've learned. Number one, consider your actions. Were they right or wrong? Number two, identify the wrong clearly. Be specific. Number three, admit the wrong to the other person. Number four, ask forgiveness. Number five, work to make it right and not repeat the wrong. Thanks for watching this how-to video for Prager U. We hope you learned something new. We'll see you next time. If you're not watching this on PragerUKids.com, then you should be. Or else the Grim Reaper will come and get you when you're not looking. Hey, I think you should wear this. I think that belongs to the girl who wears the pickle suit. I think she's over there. Look, look, she's right there. No, I'm not falling for that. You should try living in a mountain for 40 days and see how you feel. Ah. He smells like pickles. I got a beast in. Sorry. Golly jeepers, Batman. Where'd that monkey come from? Who sent this monkey? Yeah, you're going to have to make things right here, buddy.