Encourage children to be honest
If you want to have an honest child, do not lie to yourself first, children are very strong imitators. Parents are their role models and they copy their behaviors. So if you make a mistake in your behavior, do not expect your child to do it.
Teaching honesty to children
How to teach your child honesty
Honesty means telling the truth; That is, to say what has happened; That is, right with yourself; That is, to confront one’s mistakes; That is, talking about what we think and acting on what we say; To the extent that there is no contradiction or dichotomy between our thoughts, behavior, and words.
Honesty is the importance one attaches to one’s behavior and social relationships with others.
Being honest means not being hypocritical, hypocritical and making false behaviors that lead to distrust of oneself and others.
Being honest in life strengthens and lasts relationships between people; Because the person reflects like a transparent mirror what he has inside.
Teaching honesty to children requires time and patience. Learning any skill, if it starts from childhood and childhood, will have a double effect on his life.
Parents can cultivate honesty in their children by encouraging them to tell the truth and to say what they really saw.
We are sure you want your child to be honest rather than cheating, lying, hiding, or stealing. But what is the best way to teach honesty to your children?
Some parents may think that lying is in the nature of the child, and it is the parents’ duty to punish them for lying in order to prevent them from getting used to it. The fact is that many times the parents themselves create the ground for their child to lie.
This is the mistake parents make: they confront and accuse their children in anger and intimidation. If you are violent and want to punish them, they are afraid to tell you the truth. If they feel safe, they will be honest. So treat them gently and emphasize their honesty.
Here are some examples to better understand what we mean. Imagine that you found out that your nine-year-old son had stolen candy from a supermarket. Here are two different stories.
A:
Mother: (with an accusing voice) Where did you get this candy?
Child: I found it in my pocket.
Mother: Did you steal it from the supermarket?
Child: No, I did not steal it!
Mother: But I know you did. Your sister said you saw this. You are still lying to me.
Child: No, he is lying. I did not steal it.
Mother: Where did you bring it? You will be punished twice for the lie you told.
B:
Mother: I see you have candy. Since I did not buy this for you, your sister also said that she saw that you took it from the supermarket.
Child: (looks down)
Mother: I do not like gossiping at all, I told your sister. But it is very important that you do not take anything from somewhere without permission. It is very important that we never lie to each other. You know that we are a family and being honest in the family is very important. You have to trust me and I have to trust you.
Child: I had no intention. It happened all of a sudden.
Mother: I know baby. Probably a devil. But I’m proud of you for telling me the truth. This is hard work. Now let’s go to the supermarket together to give them back the candy.
In the first story, the mother forces her child to lie. And in such cases, most people deny it and take a defensive stance because being honest will hurt them. In the second story, the mother raises the issue with her son very directly and behaves in a way that she knows what her child has done. He can now emphasize the importance of honesty as a family value and explain to his child that he understands and teaches him the lesson of honesty.
It takes courage for anyone of any age, to be honest. Therefore, it is the duty of parents to teach their children to be brave in telling the truth.
Talk to your children about the value of honesty in your family
Here are three tips to help you teach your children honesty:
1. Very small, talk to your children about the value of honesty in the family. Tell them that it is very important for all of you to always be able to count on each other to hear the truth, even if it is difficult. If there is no honesty between parents and children, there will be no trust and closeness in the family.
Honesty is the foundation of family relationships and mutual trust and respect. Tell your children that you will do everything you can to support and defend them, even fight them, but if you find out that you have been lied to, your relationship will change completely. When trust is lost, it takes a long time to rebuild.
2. Be an example of honesty for your children, not only in your words but also in your lifestyle. If you are not honest with your children, you can not expect them to tell you the truth. In response to the questions they ask, try to give a brief explanation and answer according to their age, instead of lying. But if you lie to them, when you are embarrassed, to tell the truth, you can not expect them to tell the truth when it is difficult for them.
Obviously, both parents and children can have a private life for themselves, and to share the private details of your life, past issues that you are still dealing with, or anything else you fear, you need to set boundaries. Your goal should be to create a free environment where there is no secrecy and for everyone to feel comfortable telling the truth.
3. Show them that your emphasis is more on their honesty than on punishing them for their dishonesty. Yes, you can have consequences for your child’s lies, but you need to explain to them that their honesty will also benefit them. If you try to force the right word out of their mouths by threatening and punishing them, rest assured that they will not tell the truth next time. If you still feel the need to punish them despite telling the truth, do so carefully and gently, and thank them for their honesty despite the punishment.
Everyone has the ability, to be honest, but if you do not practice this, both you and your child will get used to covering up some of the truth, and because it is easier to tell expedient lies many times. As a parent, you have the opportunity to help your children learn honesty. Never lower your standards, but you must understand that they can not always be great.
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