I'm quick to apologize. I always have been (to most everybody but my husband, he'll most certainly say). At my last job, this guy once referred to my willingness to apologize--even for things I have no control over or wasn't ultimately responsible for--as a weakness. I've thought about that for a while. I apologize to my kids when I need to (I'm a firm believer that kids need to hear their parents apologize or how else are they going to learn to do it too?) Despite what Eric believes, I apologize to him. I try to apologize when I've done something to hurt someone else. And I always apologize when I cut someone off at Wal-Mart with my cart (and we all know how brutal Wal-Mart shopping can be).
Today I took my girls to the new McDonald's at The District, since I had coupons. The place was a madhouse. My kids were golden (seriously, I don't know how I got so lucky to have such great kids). After Bianca finished eating, she went into the "basketball court" in the play area that was laden with children. Bianca had a basketball and was throwing it up into the air. When it richocheted off the backboard and began bouncing into the other kids there, she promptly apologized to each one she came near, "Sorry, sorry, sorry." I realized my weakness had rubbed off on her.
I'm still not convinced that being willing to apologize is a weakness. Isn't it a politeness? A couple minutes later, a boy about Bianca's age came in and started throwing the ball around, knocking over toddlers like he was bowling and then bumped into Bianca. No apology, not even the turn of a head to acknowledge that he ran her over. He kept fumbling around with his ball and rolling over children like a bulldozer. This is the part where I am glad that I've instilled on my kid a weakness: I would much rather have a polite child who is overabundant in her use of the phrase "I'm sorry" than a rude kid who has never used the phrase in his life.
5 comments:
2 Thumbs Up, I liked your thoughts!
AMEN! Sorry, but I love this post...wait maybe it's catching??? Good thing :)
This is interesting, Jeana. I think in most scenarios, it is a really good thing to apologize easily. I relate to everything you said about yourself. I think I do all those things too you described too. But in pondering it, I've realized I am way more polite with people in general than I am with my own family. I do apologize to my kids pretty often for raising my voice at them, but I think I need to work on treating my family as well or better than the random people I come across in the world.
Okay, I really need to re-read before I hit submit...sorry.
I hear you! I forgot about this trait about you, but after reading, it came back to me. It makes you so enjoyable to be around...especially when there was Ken:)
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