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Students learn the importance of being honest even when they have done something wrong.
Have you ever felt like you had a 'heavy brick' in your tummy after accidentally breaking something? What if telling the truth was the secret key to making that heavy feeling go away forever?
Everyone makes mistakes! You might spill juice, forget your homework, or accidentally break a toy. When this happens, you might feel a fast heartbeat or a 'heavy' feeling in your stomach. This happens because our brains are worried about getting in trouble or making someone sad. We call this the fear of consequences. Sometimes, we think that hiding the mistake will make the problem go away, but hiding a mistake is like trying to hold a beach ball underwater—it takes a lot of work and eventually pops back up!
Quick Check
Why do people sometimes want to hide their mistakes?
Answer
Because they are afraid of getting in trouble or making someone feel sad.
Being honest is a superpower that fixes the 'heavy' feeling. Instead of hiding, you can follow a simple plan. First, Admit it: Say exactly what happened without making excuses. Second, Apologize: Say 'I am sorry' to show you care about the other person's feelings. Third, Fix it: Ask, 'How can I make this better?' When you follow these steps, you show that you are responsible and trustworthy. It turns a bad moment into a chance to grow.
Imagine you spilled purple juice on the white rug. 1. Admit it: Walk to your mom and say, 'I spilled my juice on the rug.' 2. Apologize: Say, 'I'm sorry I wasn't more careful.' 3. Fix it: Ask, 'Can you show me how to clean it up?' Now, instead of mess and secret, you just have mess to clean together!
Quick Check
What is the third step you should take after admitting a mistake and saying sorry?
Answer
Ask how you can fix the mistake or make it better.
When you tell a lie to hide a mistake, you have to remember that lie forever. That is a lot of work for your brain! But when you tell the truth, that heavy 'brick' in your stomach disappears. This is called relief. Even if you still have a small consequence (like losing a treat for a little while), your heart feels light because you don't have a secret anymore. People will trust you more because they know you are brave enough to tell the truth, even when it is hard.
You accidentally ripped a page in a library book. You are worried the librarian will be mad. 1. You decide to go to the desk and show her the page. 2. You say, 'I accidentally ripped this while I was reading. I'm sorry.' 3. The librarian smiles and says, 'Thank you for telling me! We can use special tape to fix it.' By being honest, you helped the book get fixed and the librarian knows she can trust you.
You and a friend were running where you weren't supposed to, and your friend tripped. A teacher asks what happened. 1. It is hard because you don't want your friend to get in trouble either. 2. You say, 'We were both running when we should have been walking, and that is why they fell.' 3. You apologize for breaking the rule and help your friend to the nurse. This is a challenge because you are owning a mistake for a group, but it keeps everyone safe!
How does your body often feel when you are hiding a mistake?
Which of these is the best way to 'Admit' a mistake?
Telling the truth makes people trust you more, even if you made a mistake.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to remember the 3 steps: Admit, Apologize, and Fix. Can you say them out loud?
Practice Activity
The next time you make a small mistake (like dropping a pencil), practice saying 'I dropped that, let me pick it up' out loud to get used to the feeling of owning your actions.