Early childhood experts recommend that a child should not be forced to offer an apology when he does not feel sorry yet. This strategy may not truly be that useful and it can have some negative consequences. It takes time for children to develop empathy and to understand how their actions impact others. Forcing them to say sorry before they truly understand this won't help them learn it any faster. In fact, it may make it harder for them to learn it! When an apology is needed pause until your child is calm.