The place of remorse in a child’s life

Abstract What kind of moral lessons do children learn when they fight and forgive one another? What happens in the process of reconciliation and apprehending the plight of those they have wronged? In this article, I explore moral education from the point of view of remorse. In line with the vital role learning from mistakes and wrongdoing plays in the educational process of children, I claim that children’s experiences of remorse in response to those they have wronged can pave the way for moral transformation, thereby shaping their character, moral identity, and moral behaviour. I argue that remorse can deepen their moral understanding in ways that they can never imagine for themselves. Drawing on the works of Raimond Gaita and Christopher Cordner, I critically analyse the connection between remorse and inner transformation, and I place this analysis in the context of the moral education of children.