LCR

Parenting with others gaze can feel so hard. It speaks a lot to our own insecurities and triggers. It’s also worth remembering that a young child’s ability to feel true empathy doesn’t kick in til about 5-6 (the importance of getting what you wanted/needed was a factor in young human survival). So if we want kids to apologize we have to know we’re just teaching them to parrot (like please and thank you) for personal gain. The risk is having our own embarrassment channel into behaviours that incite shame into the kids.
But having said that firm boundaries are very important. Every parent should feel empowered enough to deny their child something they want desperately and maintain that regardless of the ensuing tantrum.