Podcast: Dr. Jennifer Thomas - Teaching Your Kids to Apologize

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Have you seen someone wearing a t-shirt, “Sorry, Not Sorry”?

As a culture, we are getting good at shifting blame and defending ourselves instead of taking responsibility when we do something wrong. Dr. Jennifer Thomas has teamed up with Dr. Gary Chapman to develop the Five Apology Languages. How can you teach your kids how to apologize? You’ll learn how to use apologies to repair your most important relationships. In today’s interview with Dr. Jennifer Thomas, you’ll understand:

4:30 What are people looking for in an apology?

5:27 What are the five apology languages?

10:30 Role play: how would I use these five apology languages if I wanted to apologize for yelling at my kids?

15:00 Might you have a problem with over-apologizing?

18:20 How do you help young kids learn how to apologize? What is better to say than “I’m sorry”?

20:00 How to help your kids save face during the apology

23:00 We live in a “sorry, not sorry” culture – how can we teach kids that apologies are important?

24:30 How do you know when to apologize by text or when to apologize face to face?

27:50 How can we reach out to our estranged family members? What if we are not sincerely sorry but we want to connect?

Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Thomas is a motivational speaker specializing in the five love languages and communication. She is a business consultant and psychologist. She recently gave a TEDx talk on the two essentials for healthy relationships. Hint: They involve a love tank and forgiveness. Her books have been translated into fifteen foreign languages and have sold hundreds of thousands of copies around the world. Jennifer has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland. She earned a BA in psychology and religion from the University of Virginia.