Fix It
You accidentally bump into someone and knock their stuff on the floor. What could you do to repair it?
Apologize and help pick their things up.
True or false: Saying “Whatever, I don't care” usually helps solve an argument.
False
Mia accidentally steps on Ava's shoe. Ava immediately screams at her. Who needs to repair something?
Ava should repair how she reacted. Mia can acknowledge/apologize for accidentally stepping on her shoe.
You realize you interrupted someone several times. What could you say?
“Sorry, I interrupted you. Go ahead.”
Besides saying “sorry,” name one way to show you're sorry.
Change your behavior, fix what you damaged, return something, help the person, etc.
You borrowed something without asking and the person is upset. How could you repair it?
Return it, apologize, and ask permission in the future.
You're trying to apologize. Which makes it worse:
A. “I shouldn't have done that.”
B. “I'm sorry, but YOU started it.”
C. “What can I do to make this better?”
B. “I'm sorry, but YOU started it.”
Jay keeps interrupting Marcus. Marcus finally tells Jay, “Shut up! Nobody cares what you think.” Who was wrong?
Both contributed. Jay should work on interrupting; Marcus should repair the disrespectful response.
You yelled at someone because you were frustrated. Give an appropriate repair statement.
“I was frustrated, but I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry.”
True or false: Someone has to forgive you because you apologized.
False
You made a joke about your friend and everyone laughed, but your friend looks embarrassed. What should you do?
Stop, acknowledge that the joke hurt them, apologize, and don't continue making the joke.
Name two things that could make an argument worse.
Yelling, name-calling, blaming, threatening, interrupting, bringing up old problems, etc.
Jordan borrowed Alex’s charger without asking. Alex got mad and called Jordan a name. Jordan said, “Well, you shouldn’t leave your stuff out if you don’t want people using it.” Who is right?
Neither is completely right. Jordan should have asked before borrowing the charger, and Alex had a right to be upset but could have expressed it without name-calling. Both have something they could repair.
Someone wants to talk about an argument, but you're still too angry. What could you say instead of ignoring them?
“I'm still upset. Can I have some time and then we can talk?”
You broke something that belongs to someone else. What's an action you could take besides apologizing?
Offer to fix or replace it.
You told someone you'd do something but didn't follow through. What could help rebuild trust?
Take responsibility, apologize, follow through next time, and show through your actions that you can be trusted.
Someone tells you that you hurt their feelings. You respond, “You're too sensitive.” Why might this make things worse?
It dismisses their feelings instead of listening or taking responsibility.
Riley tells Sam something private. Sam tells another person. Riley gets angry and starts telling everyone Sam's secrets. Who needs to repair the situation?
Both. Sam broke Riley's trust, but Riley retaliating also caused harm.
You made a joke that hurt someone's feelings even though you didn't mean to. What could you say?
“I meant it as a joke, but I understand that it hurt you. I'm sorry.”
Why are changed actions important after an apology?
They demonstrate that you understand what happened and are trying not to repeat it.
You apologized for something, but the person says they're still mad. What should you do?
Respect their feelings, give them time/space, and show through your behavior that you meant your apology.
You apologize but continue doing the same thing over and over. What could happen?
The person may stop trusting your apology because your actions aren't changing.
Someone hurts your feelings first, so you purposely hurt their feelings back. Does the fact that they started it make your behavior okay?
No. You can be upset about what they did while still being responsible for how you respond.
Create an apology that includes what you did + taking responsibility + what you'll do differently.
“I'm sorry I took your stuff without asking. I shouldn't have done that. Next time I'll ask first.”
You apologized to someone for breaking their trust, but they tell you they’re not ready to forgive you. What are three things you can DO to help repair the relationship without pressuring them?
Give them space, respect their feelings, and show through your actions over time that your behavior has changed.