A different way to respond
Punishment vs. restorative practices
“If you’re trying to walk through your day without causing harm, where do you think you went wrong?” During the conversation, they pointed out where they veered off-path, how they felt, and how the other child might have felt. ... They also explained what they’d do differently.
Kids are learning to take ownership of their actions and what it means.
How to foster forgiveness and restorative practices at home
feeling-based statements (“I feel X when you do Y”) when expressing displeasure with a child’s actions,
The aim is to create a safe space within the home, so that both children and adults feel heard, understood, and valued.
teach by example. Be a model of forgiveness, and of the positive emotions (empathy, sympathy, compassion) that can replace hurt and anger when a wrong arises.
When a child misbehaves, figure out why it happened. “The assumption is ‘you made a mistake because you didn’t know the right way,’” ... “So the consequence is not simply sending kids to their room, but working with them to get to the root of the problem and address it.”
don’t forget to remind your child about their strengths.