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Teaching Honesty to Toddlers
The Truth About This Important Life Lesson
By Jenn Director Knudsen
Hold off on this (and, later, topics like sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll) "and you'll realize what a disservice we do to our children," Dr. Jana says. She adds that conversations and interactions with your children on any tough topic – honesty now and sex in a decade from now – need to be age-appropriate.
"It is ... entirely possible (and a good idea) to introduce children to this concept long before they can master it," Dr. Jana says.
We teach children how to eat with a spoon and their ABCs without hesitation; honesty, too, automatically should be taught – and modeled – Dr. Jana says.
Modeling means we consistently do what we say we're going to do, even in the tough circumstances, Dr. Jana says. For example, if you say you'll take away your daughter's toy for pulling the dog's fur, and she, of course, gives Rover's fur a healthy tug, modeling honesty is confiscating that toy. As is promising ice cream and then taking your child for her favorite chocolate scoop with rainbow sprinkles.
Barbara Bakken, a Portland, Ore., entrepreneur and mother of two adult sons, a 6-year-old daughter and grandmother of a toddler, says modeling truth-telling always has worked in her parenting career – especially when coupled with empathy, love and adult emotions kept in check.
