RJ Jaramillo

Some old-school parents we know don’t believe in apologizing to children.  They believe it’s bad form and undermines the parent-child hierarchy.  Guest blogger RJ Jaramillo, Founder and President of SingleDad.com has a different take on the matter.  He believes (and we agree) that an effective apology is a important element in your parenting toolkit:

As a single parent of three children, I am bound to have communication challenges and disagreements with family members. I have two teenagers and a soon to be 10-year old and when arguments ensue, I have made my share of mistakes. As a father, I never want my children to be angry with me, however, I also want my children to know the difference between good and bad behavior. There is a fine line between having a mutually-respectful relationship and letting your children run out of control. Apologizing after a disagreement is an important parenting tool that requires a few important steps…

In this article, I want to share four easy steps that I learned on how to navigate family arguments and how to create an apology that is effective, sincere, and lasting with your child.  Take a look at my steps and see how many of these items can help you understand the power of an apology.