Conveying Honesty – How Do I Do It?
Most of us know the importance of being able to trust someone. The passage of time has shown us how important honesty is. We need to teach this to our children too.
Honesty is a virtue that is easy to learn if you practice it every day. But in addition to learning and practicing honesty, parents must also cultivate it in the upbringing of their children.
Parents should cultivate honesty with the same dedication as a gardener who tends to the most beautiful rose in his garden.
If we properly care for this rose, our sincerity will always stand out among the many lies that all too naturally plague our lives.
Why does your little angel start lying?
When children start talking, all they can do is tell the truth. You are always honest. For this reason we should try to instill and promote this virtue in them.
But for many reasons these little angels who only tell the truth start to be dishonest.
Probably one of the main reasons is that they are learning that lying will help them avoid certain consequences of their actions.
They also begin to lie to gain the favor of others, or they discover that lying is a way of getting the reward they want….
The truth is: There are a thousand reasons…. When evaluating these reasons, however, it is easy to see that in most cases children learn to be dishonest because they are watching us adults.
Before we blame or punish them, it is necessary that we observe ourselves closely to know if we can change some things in our own behavior.
Promote honesty in your child’s heart
We cannot grow up our children in a glass case just to keep them as pure and innocent as they were born.
Not only do they pick up habits from home, but also often from school. So your child needs to be taught the importance of honesty.
In other words, teaching them to appreciate the truth is more important than punishing them.
It’s also important to think about the fact that a dishonest child doesn’t trust others. This lack of trust is a bad feeling. Parents and teachers should prevent this in their parenting model.
Talking about honesty is very important once your child is lying. This early start gives you an opportunity to resolve the dishonesty problem.
Whatever the circumstances, try to talk to your child about the subject. Explain that if they are honest, their problems are always better solved.
Honesty is always driven by a good example
When children see adults lying, hiding things, or sometimes using them as accomplices to cover up dishonest behavior, they will learn that honesty is relative and anything goes as long as the lie is not discovered.
Make sure you avoid making your child an accomplice while you are lying, no matter how insignificant the lie may be. For example, don’t tell a friend on the phone that you are not home when you are not.
And most importantly, don’t justify lying or let your child participate in it, even in the game.
As parents, we should try to be as honest as possible. We shouldn’t break our word. Rather, we should give it meaning and always keep promises.
Setting an example is crucial in teaching children the value of promises and honesty. That way, you have a basis not to tolerate your child not keeping their word. And then you can explain to him that it is important to do this.
If you have an honest child who regularly speaks the truth, it is also important to cultivate that virtue, empower the child, and praise him for it.
If it fails, which can happen to anyone, use appropriate punishment to correct their behavior.
The fact that your child chooses to tell the truth in the next situation is a sign that they understood their mistake.
Maintaining this rough diamond that we call honesty is certainly not an easy task.
As parents, we have an important role in the development of our children who will grow up tomorrow and change the world in which we live.
The following useful pieces of advice will help you teach values and promote honesty in your children:
- Talk to your child about the importance of honesty and truth. Explain to him that people who lie are untrustworthy and are usually not accepted by others.
- Explain to your child what integrity is and how it affects their everyday life. Integrity means that people believe you when you say something. So the outdated value “your word is your commitment” is still very important.
- Supervise it while others play it. Teach him to share toys and to value fair play. A fair game helps him become a fair adult.
- Show your child how to be a good friend. Explain the difference between a true friend and an acquaintance. Showing your child how to be a good friend will also instill the values of respect and loyalty.
- Let your child take responsibility for their wrongdoing. Explain what it did wrong and why it is wrong. Show him that his actions have consequences. This is a valuable lesson for everyone and will help the child think about the consequences of his or her actions before acting.
Even if it is sometimes complicated or we just don’t know how, we should always try to convey and promote these values to our children. Be patient, then you will find the path that is right for you.
Above all, always remember that you are preparing your children to face the real world with the greatest possible honesty. This will always be beneficial to them.
You have also conveyed and cultivated values that touch your child’s heart strongly.
This will help you feel confident about your decisions. Then you can always be sure that wherever they are, they will be an all-round good person.
