You may have heard the quote “Honesty is the best policy” by Benjamin Franklin but it seems in today’s world honesty is not always practiced, is it? You may have been hurt by dishonest people a time or two in your life … I know I have. Dishonestly really hurts especially when they call themselves a friend. Regardless, how we have been treated by dishonest people, we should make it a point to teach our children what it means to be honest and be of good character.
Teaching our children to be honest is an important aspect of their moral development.
We've created a short video called; Honesty .... we see a dad teaching his son about being honest when a cashier accidentally gave him too much change back from his purchase. It becomes an example to the child that just because someone makes a mistake … two wrongs don’t make it right.
Here are some tips for a dad to teach his children about being honest. Maybe you can use a few or all of them in teaching your children about this all-important subject in life.
1. Be a role model: Children learning by observing their parents. As a dad, it’s crucial to demonstrate honesty in your own actions and words as your children really are watching you. Be truthful in all your interactions with others and avoid deceptive behavior.
2. Communication: Engage your children in open and honest conversations and explain to them the importance of honesty as this dad does in this video. Help them to understand the value of honest relationships with others.
3. Explain the consequences: Help your children understand that honesty has positive outcomes while dishonesty leads to negative consequences. Discuss real life (age appropriate) examples with them.
4. Encourage ownership of mistakes: Teach your children that it’s okay to make mistakes, but it’s important to take ownership of them by being responsible. You can emphasize that being honest about mistakes allows for learning, growth, and problem solving. Help them understand that you value their honesty more than covering up their errors.
5. Praise them and reinforce honesty: Whenever your children demonstrate honesty, acknowledge, and praise their behavior. Let them know that you appreciate their truthfulness and that it strengthens your trust in them. Positive reinforcement encourages them to keep being honest.
6. Set clear expectations: Set clear rules and expectations as a family when it comes to being honest. Help them understand that there are consequences for being dishonest and lying.
7. Reinforce the long-term benefits: Emphasize that honesty is a valuable trait that benefits them throughout their lives. Being known as an honest person builds trust, credibility and strong relationships which can have positive effects in their personal and professional lives.
Remember, teaching honesty is an ongoing process. Consistency, patience, and open communication are key to instilling this important value in your children.