To Make Your Children Capable Of Honesty Is The Beginning Of Education

Encouraging Honesty

Following are a few strategies that can help to deal with lying and encourage honesty in a child.

• Calmly name the issue but don’t demand confessions

Don’t ask questions about behaviour, if you already know the answer! Trying to force your child to confess is rarely effective,as most children will lie to protect themselves when put on the spot. Thus criticizing your child may lead to defensiveness and more lying.

• Try to understand why your child is finding it hard to be honest

It’s important to reason out why your child feels the need to lie. Once you’ve identified potential reasons for your child’s fibbing, encourage them to talk about their worries by calmly raising the issue in a supportive and earnest manner.

• Teach your child about why lying doesn’t work

Teach your child about the importance of telling the truth and how lying can stop people believing them even when they are being honest. A good way to do this is to read books with your child that gives a strong message that lying is not helpful.

• Set a good example

We must remember that children learn more through watching other people’s behaviour than through any other form of direct guidance or discipline

• Praise honesty

Always be encouraging and positive whenever your child tells the truth and praise him/her for being truthful.