How to Teach Kids to be Honest at All Times

Teaching your children about the importance of honesty is not an easy task; however it is a challenge that you must be willing to take on as a parent. Children are not only the future of our families, they are also the future of our nation and honesty is an essential and admirable quality. Your child may be the brightest in class, and receive the highest grades that will take them all the way to the top, however, it is their character that will keep them there.

Lead by example

The easiest way to teach your children about honesty is if you are an honest person yourself. You have to lead by example, and that means to live with integrity. Your children absorb information like a sponge, whether the message is direct or indirect, they run with it, and it becomes their reality. Your actions, the way you respond to situations and how you deal with the circumstances that are put in front of you will reveal a lot about your character to your children. You may think that telling a little “white” lie, is not going to affect anyone; however, essentially what you are doing is teaching your children that it is ok to tell a small lie, just not a big one. White lies are just as bad as any other type of lie, keep them out of your home if you want your children to be honest consistently.

Discipline is key

Discipline is not a bad thing, and you should be consistent in the way you choose to discipline your children if they are caught out in a lie. You must let your children know that lies will not be tolerated, and they will lead to punishment.

Encourage positive behavior and choices

This is a great way to show children about the importance of honesty. When they are honest, praise them for making the right decisions. It is easy to constantly point out the wrong that your children do, but you should also make a habit of showing them that being honest is worthy of praise.

Here is a game to teach your children about honesty.

Snowball to avalanche

The game of snowball to avalanche teaches children how a small harmless lie can lead to a real disaster. To prepare, have your kids make a list of statements that are not true, such as “I washed the dishes as soon as I was told to,” or “I can ride my bike without the stabilizers now.” For each untrue statement have the children make a snowball by scrunching up a piece of paper. They can decorate the ball by adding glitter or color. Using a flat surface, have each child present one of their statements by stacking them one on top of the other in the shape of a pyramid. Sooner or later, the pyramid will collapse. This shows the children that telling lies does not build a solid foundation on which to build a relationship. It also shows them that it is best to tell the truth at all times, one lie leads to another, sooner or later you will forget the lies that you have told.

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