Just for the record: Graham is sorry.
He's really, really sorry. He's sooo sorry 'bout that. Gee whiz, is he sorry!
Yesterday after spilling half his breakfast on the rug (through sheer carelessness) and receiving a tongue-lashing, Graham turned to me and delivered his apology in a drawl so affected I half expected him to deferentially tip a cowboy hat to reinforce his regret; "Well gosh, I truly am awful sorry 'bout that Mama."
And then he turned away and cheerfully resumed spilling his food.
But as cute as his apology might sound (and Lord help me it was cute), it was also supremely irritating.
It was irritating because ever since Graham has learned that the word sorry has power he has abused that power like a Third World despot.
It is frustrating to me, someone who prides herself on using words as precisely as possible to convey meaning, to see my son continually expropriate such an important word to aid and abet his willful misbehaviour.
I have explained to him over and over again that it's not enough to just say you're sorry; you have to be sorry.
"You have to mean what you say Graham. Do you understand?"
"Yes mom, I understand."
"That's good."
"And I'm soooo sorry...now can I have a treat?"
Sigh.
Apparently sincerity is in a sorry state around here these days.
24 comments:
Kids are so darn smart...mine get the better of me all the time. :o)
Yes, they do need to learn the power of sorry is limited. Did you have him clean it up? (Even though you'll have to do it over yourself later it's never too soon to start!).
I used to pride myself on manners.... I used to think that my kids were the BEST ans Please and thank you and bless you and excuse me....
Aparently when Henry turned 4, he forgot his manners... it is driving me crazy!
my dd said "what a pain in the ass." and then "what does pain in the ass mean?" -- I'm going with the if-you-don't-understand-what-it-means-don't-say-it strategy.
He is too cute for his own good!!! I love how young they are when they larn to push our buttons...um, no, actually, I do not LOVE that...well, ya, I do - but only when it is someone else's kid!!!!
Mine is the same. I am sure they grow out of it... right?
He's melting me with that cute apology from here! I don't know how you do it.
That was a pretty cute sorry.
My two year old pretends to close her eyes and "accidentally" walks into me or my husband, and then she says, "Oh, sorry Mommy/Daddy." And then she does it again. It's slightly annoying like when she drops something on purpose and says "Uh oh/Ooops" but otherwise cute. But then she also says sorry at random times when there is nothing she or anyone else is doing that could remotely need the word sorry.
So at least he's using it right? Kind of?
I keep telling Nate that if he were really sorry (2nd, 3rd, 4th time he bops his brother on the head, etc) he'd stop doing the wrong action.
I'm thinking that when he's 23 he'll have it figured out.
My Graham will say sorry and I often have to reply with, "Say it like you MEAN it."
:)
LOL!
Oh dear. As a writer that would really get to me too.
I have to admit, I love his "Well gosh..." line. I can totally see him tippin' his hat while he said it. HA HA!
Oh my. We have sort of the opposite situation - my daughter steadfastly refuses to let the word 'sorry' cross her lips. Even if I can tell she really feels sorry. It also gets my goat, because sometimes an apology is simply required.
Just a stage. Just a stage. Just a stage.
Could you post a follow-up on how to solve this one??
So, does the poor kid actually HAVE A cowboy hat? Sounds like one is in need...
Yes, kids seem to think that if they say sorry that it fixes absolutely everything. I wish that were true too!
Ha! The Poo does the same thing. It makes me nuts.
Sincerity is grossly over rated anyway.
My mom used to get so angry at me -- I'd apologize when I did something wrong, then just do it again. She'd say, "If you know something is wrong, you can't just apologize and make it better!"
I was a horrible teenager.
I'm sorry you are dealing with this :)
Kids are masters...masters of something...
Oh, thank goodness we don't live anywhere near you, because if he got together to play with the Baby?
We'd be pretty sorry, I think. Sorry and amused.
We go through that one around here a lot and I struggle with it a lot. I am like you, in that I say what I mean. I don't go around tossing out I love you's or I'm sorry's. I wait. and then I make a deliberate choice to say those words.
Others in my home do not feel the same way.
sigh.
Been thinking of you lots dear Kelly, you are always in my prayers.
Well, gee, this is sounding familiar since my 2-year old just started the same thing. "Oh sawy, mama" flutter, flutter of the eyelashes and blink of beautiful blue eyes and score! He's off the hook...sometimes that is!
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