Think about the rules at home, at school, and on the playground — taking turns, being kind, not hitting, putting your hand up. Rules are everywhere, and mostly they help, not hinder.
Why do we have rules?
Rules are not there to be mean or to stop your fun. They exist to keep everyone safe and to make sure things stay fair. Taking turns on the swing means everyone gets a go. Raising your hand means everyone gets heard. Not hitting means nobody gets hurt. Rules help a group of people live and play together happily.
What happens when a rule gets broken?
Sometimes rules get broken — by accident, or because someone was upset, tired, or made a poor choice in the moment. When this happens, someone might feel hurt, unhappy, or left out. That feeling is a signal that something needs to be put right — not a reason to be scared or ashamed forever.
Making things right
The most important part is what happens next. This is sometimes called making things right, or repairing what happened, and it usually has a few simple steps.
Put these steps for making things right in order:
- Notice that a rule was broken and someone was hurt or upset
- Say a real, meant sorry
- Listen to how the other person feels
- Fix or make up for what happened, if you can
- Try to do better next time