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"I don't care if you're sorry!"

119 replies

EveSix · 01/10/2023 15:18

DP, when stressed, has a particularly arsey habit of, when pulling the DC up on something, and they say "Sorry," he'll curtly say "I don't care if you're sorry!" followed up with something like "What matters is that you don't do it again," or "That's what you said last time," or similar. He also shuts down any attempt at explaining, brushing it off as 'excuses'. This will be over something really minor like leaving crumbs on a worktop or not pushing bikes fully under the lean to bikeshed.

Our DC are well behaved, thoughtful and don't do things out of spite or carelessness. Their "Sorry" is genuine and sincere, never said in a 'whatever' kind of way. When he does this, I genuinely dislike him. It's like he is taking away the dignity of the DC of being able to try to put things right.

If they didn't say sorry, they'd be pulled up on that instead.

If they get upset, he'll say something really weird like "I'm sorry you're upset, but you shouldn't have done X in the first place." WhoTF follows a 'sorry' with a 'but'!?

I've tried to explain that it's a shitty way of expressing his irritation, and that he needs to be open to someone's apology if he's going to raise a grievance, but he has a complete blind spot about it, despite it being his children.

He is capable of doing this in a more neutral way normally, but when in a rush or otherwise under pressure, seems to lose the capacity to do it without some kind of weird rank-pulling.

Can anyone suggest a better way of explaining this to him? I am convinced I'm right about this, but equally, if you think DP hasn't done anything wrong, please explain how this is fine.

OP posts:
Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:28

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Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:29

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Madamwahselle · 01/10/2023 15:31

Wow I say this after the millionth time of dc leaving shit about for me to clean up

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ThornInMySide84 · 01/10/2023 15:33

I literally say this all the time. My particular favourite is “sorry doesn’t make it go away”.

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:35

Your DH is rude. "I accept your apology, but it's important you don't do this again' would be a civil way of phrasing it.

Bemyclementine · 01/10/2023 15:36

They do have to learn that a "sorry" after the event isn't always good enough, particularly for those minor things that they just cba to do properly.

Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:36

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Scarydinosaurs · 01/10/2023 15:37

I agree with you OP. Our reaction to apologies really set the standard for how conflicts are resolved.

Would he respond this way to you? My DH does and I’ve had to explain to him this reaction is the reason why I stopped apologising (which he also hated).

I’m sure there are some good parenting blogs on this. Might be worth having a look for one to show him.

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:39

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I suppose that's the point where you'd impose some kind of sanction or consequence.

Badbadbunny · 01/10/2023 15:39

I agree with him. Saying sorry is easy to do, but meaningless. What really matters is not doing things in the first place and certainly not repeating mistakes, etc.

Sux2buthen · 01/10/2023 15:40

I agree with him, it's too easy to say sorry and not change anything

Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:40

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ferntwist · 01/10/2023 15:42

Totally agree with you OP. It would be so sad if they stopped saying sorry at all and this would impact them in wider life. How old are they?

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:42

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Eh? You said if they were doing it repeatedly; i.e. had already had chances.

Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:42

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Totaly · 01/10/2023 15:43

What sanction for a bike not quite put away?

Why doesn’t he just remind them ‘hey can you sort your bike out ? Leaving it there makes it hard to walk passed’

no apology needed -

Hes being controlling

Ilovelurchers · 01/10/2023 15:44

There is a real difference in opinion over this (as this thread already shows). Some people value apologies and others think they mean nothing.

I am on the valuing side, but if your partner isn't, I doubt you will ever persuade him......

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:44

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Nope. But I think people should accord children the same courtesy they'd accord adults; i.e. accepting an apology graciously.

Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:45

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Ohthatsabitshit · 01/10/2023 15:46

Sorry doesn’t mean you haven’t been annoying it means you regre it and should be followed by how you are going to put things right.

Rochnutty · 01/10/2023 15:46

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WhateverMate · 01/10/2023 15:48

"Nothing says sorry like changed behaviour"

That's what I used to say to mine and they totally ignored it

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 01/10/2023 15:51

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:44

Nope. But I think people should accord children the same courtesy they'd accord adults; i.e. accepting an apology graciously.

It’s more nuanced than that though, surely? I place a lot of value in apologies. However if the person is apologising for the same thing for the third time in four weeks, the apology holds less meaning.

That been said, I think the ages of the children and what they’re apologising for is very relevant. A 6 year old who can be cheeky and grumpy when tired/overwhelmed, is very different than a 16 year old repeatedly leaving food to go mouldy in their bedrooms.

mumof1or2 · 01/10/2023 15:51

I used to say to my son "sorry means you won't do it again". And then if he did it again, I would point out that the apology was pointless. He learned after a while that for an apology to be genuine you have to make sure you don't do it again

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 01/10/2023 15:51

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I didn't use the word 'punishment.

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