Why won't she say sorry?

SumnerBride

My 2 year old is aquiring quite the attitude and has been throwing more tantrums lately.

She threw herself over the side of her crib this morning in anger.  I was holding my baby, but managed to catch her before she hit the floor, so she wasn't hurt.  But, her foot hit my baby's head, which hurt her.  Then both started screaming.

Now, my 2 year old wants her binky, but I told her she has to apologize first for hitting her.  She WILL NOT do it.  No matter what.  It's been going on for over a half hour now, and she will not say sorry.

Why won't she just apologize?  My kid seems to have an issue with saying sorry.  I sure as hell hope she grows out of that.....

xbrooklyngrl

B does that too and I just keep reminding her that I'm still waiting for an apology. They are stubborn!

stacynikki

It must be a 2 yo thing. When I ask DS to apologize and he doesn't he goes to timeout.  I can't believe that he would rather go to timeout then simply apologize!  But he won't do it...until he's sick of being in timeout, then he'll apologize and sweet and what not.

 

snowflakemom

Hey Sum! Sorry about Ashlyn. R has been frustrating me to no end lately, too.

Just wanted to say hi

hopefulmom

Maybe she's not sure what she should be sorry for.  Having a tantrum isn't something to be sorry for since she was demonstrating her frustration about something.  Maybe she didn't even know she hit the baby with her foot.  I'm sure if they really understand the concept of sorry KWIM?  I think if you just tell her that when she was behaving the way she was her foot hit the baby and hurt the baby and then maybe have her kiss baby's head, etc. it would have been enough.  Of course it's too late for that now.  Maybe at another time when she is calm you can have a "chat" and explain that when anyone does something to hurt another person (even the baby) they say "I'm sorry"...and that was why you wanted to her say she was sorry.  Sounds like she is having a bad day...poor girl...and mommy too!

Makinroom4baby

They are so very stubborn, and she's probably more so b/c of the new sibling. Have you tried putting her in time out and then asking her to apologize? Jayden knows that he has to apologize each time he comes out of time out. Maybe even try to teach her the sign for sorry? Jayden can say and sign sorry, but when he's in one of his moods he will only sign it but at least he apologizes.

neesernicole

omg. that happened to us this a.m.  all she would say is "i don't want to."  later she did apologize on her own.  i about fell over.  stubborn little things.

Zenya

She might be a bit young to get it.  My son wouldn't apologize at that age, either.  I just continued to model it.  In the past month or so he 'gets' it and he'll do it.

EMT

I'm sorry. Maddie is acting out a lot more lately too.  Must be their age.

My only advice (because I'm going through it too) is try not to make it a power struggle.  Like the binky-thing, I mean you might want her to have the binky because she will shut up if you give it to her .  I'm trying to not make threats that I don't really want to follow through with right now.  KWIM?  She needs to learn that I will follow through with whatever I tell her (i.e. if you let that dog in one more time, you are gonna go to your room was the most recent example) but I'm trying not to tell her anything that I don't want to do (i.e. take away the binky or take her upstairs when I'm in the middle of something).  Maybe just explain it to her, redirect her and chalk it up to her age.

Withholding the binky has let to a 30 minute + tantrum over something that she definitely should not have done but was probably an accident (the hurting the baby part).  She probably isn't old enough to understand the whole sorry concept but just knows you want her to do something and she is NOT going to do it.

((HUGS)) though.  It is so much easier said than done...it is so much harder when you are in the situation and they are being so difficult.