My ds 20mths was at a sort of toddler gym type place. He was getting on some equipment when an older child (maybe 3y) came up and roughly pushed him off onto the hard gym floor.
As might be expected my ds screamed. So I went to comfort him. The other mum seeing this told her son to say sorry (not told him off - just told him to say he was sorry). He came up to me and my son and started sort of patting/hitting my son very hard - my son didn't like this at all and it upset him more.
My ds was far to upset to want an apology even if he was at the development stage of understanding one (he isn't).
This has happened a few times - my child has been deliberately hurt by anotehr and then when comforting my son I've had to deal with another child "sayng sorry".
why do parents do this - I guess it is for their own child as it just tends to make the sit worse for me and my child.