# Saying Sorry and Fixing Mistakes

- Link: https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/saying-sorry/
- Published: 2026-10-31T14:55:29+05:30
- Author: MAHENDRA MANCHIKALAPATI

1. [Courses](https://thecuriosi.com/courses/)
 2. [Kindness, Feelings and Friendship](https://thecuriosi.com/courses/kindness-feelings-friendship/)
 3.  Lesson 5 of 6

Everyone makes mistakes. We might bump into someone, break a toy or say something
unkind when we are upset. Making a mistake does not make you a bad person. What 
matters is what you do next. Today you will learn how to **say sorry** and help **
fix** a mistake.

## A real sorry

A good apology has three parts:

 1. **Say what you did**: “I’m sorry I knocked over your tower.”
 2. **Show you understand**: “That must have made you sad.”
 3. **Help fix it**: “Can I help you build it again?”

### Mean it

A real sorry comes from the heart. Look at the person and use a gentle voice. A 
quick “sorry!” while running away does not help much.

## Fixing the mistake

Sometimes we can fix what happened:

 * Help rebuild something that broke.
 * Pick up things that were spilled.
 * Give back something we took.
 * Do something kind to help the person feel better.

### Example

At lunch, Omar bumped Zara’s arm and her juice spilled. Zara looked upset. Omar 
said, “I’m sorry I bumped you. Your juice spilled everywhere. Let me get some paper
towels.” They cleaned up together, and Zara smiled again.

## When someone says sorry to you

When someone says sorry, you can **forgive** them. Forgiving means you decide to
let go of being angry. You can say:

 * “Thank you for saying sorry.”
 * “It’s okay, let’s keep playing.”

If you still feel upset, that is okay too. You can say, “Thank you. I need a little
time.” Feelings take time to settle.

## Mistakes help us learn

  |  Mistake |  What we can learn |  
   |  Ran too fast and bumped someone |  Walk inside and look ahead |  
 |  Said something unkind when angry |  Use a calm-down tool first |  
 |  Forgot to share |  Offer turns next time |

## Key takeaways

 * Everyone makes mistakes.
 * A real sorry says what you did, shows you understand and offers to help.
 * Fixing the mistake shows you care.
 * Forgiving others helps friendships grow again.

## Practice

Read this story: _Mia took Ben’s crayon without asking, and Ben felt upset._ What
could Mia say and do? Use the three parts of a real sorry.

Answer: Mia could say, “I’m sorry I took your crayon without asking. That wasn’t
fair and you felt upset. Here it is back. Next time I will ask first.”

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 [ Previous lesson Sharing, Taking Turns and Teamwork ](https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/sharing-and-taking-turns/)
[ Next lesson My Kindness Plan Project ](https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/my-kindness-plan/)

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