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Exploring why telling the truth is important for building friendships.
Imagine you have a 'Trust Bank' with your best friend. Every time you tell the truth, you add a gold coin. But what happens to the bank if you tell just one lie?
Quick Check
If honesty is like a 'Trust Bank,' why is a lie more 'expensive' than a truth?
Answer
Because a lie breaks trust, and it takes many truths to build that trust back up again.
Trust is the feeling that you can rely on someone. When you trust a friend, you feel safe. You know that if they say they will help you, they really will. Honesty is the foundation of this trust. Without honesty, the 'bridge' of friendship becomes shaky. If a friend tells you a lie, you might wonder, 'Are they telling the truth now?' even when they are! This is why being honest is so important for keeping friends for a long time. It makes your friendship strong enough to handle anything.
1. You find a cool dinosaur eraser on the floor. 2. You know it belongs to your friend, Leo. 3. Even though you really like it, you walk over to Leo and say, 'I found your eraser!' 4. Leo feels happy and knows he can trust you with his things.
Quick Check
How does Leo feel about his friend after they return the eraser?
Answer
Leo feels safe and knows his friend is someone he can trust.
Sometimes, telling the truth is really difficult. This usually happens when we make a mistake. Maybe you accidentally broke a toy, or you forgot to do your chores. You might feel a 'butterfly' feeling in your stomach that makes you want to hide the truth. This is called the Hard Truth. Even though it feels scary to admit a mistake, being honest shows that you are brave and responsible. Most people will be much happier that you told the truth than they will be upset about the mistake.
1. You spill grape juice on your sister's favorite white rug. 2. You are scared she will be mad. 3. Instead of putting a chair over the stain to hide it, you go to her immediately. 4. You say, 'I am so sorry, I accidentally spilled my juice.' 5. Because you were honest, she helps you clean it up before the stain sets, and she isn't as mad because you didn't try to trick her.
1. You and a friend are playing ball inside, which is against the rules. 2. The ball knocks over a vase and it cracks. 3. Your friend says, 'Let's just say the cat did it!' 4. You have to choose: Do you go along with the lie to stay out of trouble, or tell the truth? 5. The best choice is to say, 'No, we should tell the truth. I don't want to lie to my parents.' This protects your 'Trust Bank' with your parents and shows your friend how to be brave.
What is the best definition of 'Trust'?
Why is the 'Hard Truth' better than an 'Easy Lie'?
If you tell a lie once, it is very easy to make people trust you again immediately.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to remember the three things that make up the 'Trust Bank' logic we discussed.
Practice Activity
Today, if you make a small mistake (like dropping a crumb or forgetting a pencil), practice being the first person to say it out loud. Notice how it feels to be honest immediately!