Apologies at Bedtime.

Bedtime is often the place where the day’s weight finally catches up with me. The house is quiet, the lights are dim, and suddenly I feel the sting of regret.

I think about the sharp words I used when I was tired. The impatience that spilled over when the chaos was too much. And I find myself whispering apologies in the dark.

Apologizing to my kids isn’t about weakness. It’s about repair. It’s about showing them that love survives imperfection. That mistakes don’t end relationships, they invite us to return.

One night, I told my child, “I’m sorry I was harsh today. You didn’t deserve that.” Their little body relaxed, and I realized that apology was more powerful than any lecture I’d given.

Parenting isn’t about never failing. It’s about how we return. And sometimes the most important parenting happens not in the chaos of the day, but in the quiet of bedtime, where apologies become bridges back to each other.