Parenting tips – How to teach your kids to be honest.
Be truthful above everything else
Remember that age old tale about a woodcutter and his axe? It taught us that honesty is the best policy. Do we still remember it or rather do we still follow that principle! Teaching kids to be honest is very difficult unless you teach them by example. Expecting kids to not tell sugar-coated truths is like expecting an artist to stop his exploring his art. Teaching kids to be honest is not an overnight task. It requires unconditional love and the patience of a saint.
Can you be honest?
This is an important question that every parent needs to answer before they can start teaching their kids about it. Are you honest enough to practice what you preach. The best parenting advice that anybody can give is that children learn what they see their parents do. Parenting skills are important but so is being truthful and honest in your everyday life. Unless your kid sees you practice the moral ‘honesty is the best policy’, they won’t learn anything about it.
Teaching children about honesty.
Instilling the moral of honesty in your kids can be pretty difficult. Teaching them the diffrenec between lies and sugar coated truths is important. Here’s how you can try explaining to them how to be honest and truthful.
1) Cheating is a form of dishonesty
Next time you catch your little one cheating at a game, explain to them that cheating is not lying but it is dishonest. And dishonesty is not acceptable. They need to learn that cheating of any kind is a very bad thing to do.
2) Lying is bad. We should always try and be truthful
It’s a lie to say you don’t know when you really do. Kids often won’t tell you the real reason about something and instead say they don’t know about it. Teach them that lying is a bad habit. Liars are caught eventually and that they should always try to be honest. Little lies turn into big ones, so before that happens correct your kid.
3) If it's not yours, it's not right to keep it.
Kids often like their friend’s toys and take them without asking. Also they refuse to return them, pretending its theirs. It could toys, chocolates, crayons.. just about anything. Children should learn at a young age that if something wasn't given to the, it is wrong to keep it as their own. Likewise if something has mistakenly some to you, keeping it is wrong. Return it to whoever it belongs.
4) If you lie, you aren't trustworthy.
Teaching kids to be honest is going to be a success only when they understand that the world values honest people. Nobody likes a liar and if they lie people will think they are dishonest and wouldn't want to associate with them.
5) Honesty comes from the conscience.
A good person has a moral conscience. He follows his heart and feels guilty when he does something wrong. Help your kids grow into the kind of person who has a moral conscience nd honesty shall follow.
