• Can you think of a time when you were loved for your honesty?
• Can you think of a time when you really appreciated someone else?s honesty?

Activity: Write a short personal essay on, ?I was loved for my honesty when _____.? or, ?I like people to be honest because _____.?


Honesty Lesson
Trust

Discuss:

• How would you feel if a neighbour wanted you to wash his car and said he would give you ____ (Give an appropriate amount of money for the age of the students and the country.), but did not pay you when you
  finished?
• Was this man being honest? (No)
• What do you think the man should have done?
• How would you feel if a person said she would pay you for picking fruit from her orchard, but then only paid you half of what she said?
• Was this woman being honest?

Say: ?Part of honesty is keeping our word. Our societies run much better when people keep their word.?  Ask:

• Can you think of other examples of people not keeping their word?
• Can you think of examples of people breaking their promises?
• How do you feel when people break their promises?
• Do you feel you can trust someone who keeps his or her word?
• Do you want people to trust you?
• Why?

?It?s important to be honest because our relationships are then built on trust. When people are honest and trustworthy, we know we can depend on them.?

?In the same way that it sometimes takes courage to tell the truth ? like when we did something we weren?t supposed to, or when we didn?t do something we were supposed to; it also takes courage to apologize for not keeping a promise.?  Ask:

• If someone did not keep his or her promise to you, what would you like her or him to say?
• If you did not keep your promise to someone, what could you say?  Please start your sentence with ?I? and share your feelings.

With older students, ask them to use the previously presented communication skill of: ?I feel _____ when _______ because ______.? 

For example, ?I felt badly when I was late because I let you down and I really value your friendship.?

In groups of two, think of three different situations and practise using the above skill.

At Home

• When appropriate, let your children know you appreciate their honesty.
   
• Share a legend about honesty with your child.
   
• When you detect your child is not telling the truth, tell him or her the truth is important to you. Say: ?Where there is love and truth, honesty should naturally exist. I would like you to tell me the whole truth. I know that it can be hard and can take a lot of courage, but I promise to listen.? After giving that loving but real message, detach and leave. If your child has done something ?bad? which has got him or her into trouble, listen rather than getting mad. If you get mad and beat them when they are in trouble at age 12, they will not come to you if there is bigger trouble later on. Listening allows trust to bloom.
   
• When a child has lied repeatedly, do not question her or him about future particular events, as the child might lie again. Try to figure out what happened, and then say, ? ________ happened, and so your consequence is ________.? Provide a small, logical consequence. On another day, have this child tell you about things you know happened, and praise his or her honesty. Say: ?I appreciate your telling me the truth.? Build up these experiences.
   
• Tell your children the truth. Make it kind and appropriate to their age level, but let them know what is happening when there are changes about which they need to know.
   
• Point out the importance of honesty and the negative consequences of graft. Point out why you do some of the things you do, as appropriate. For example, why you pay a worker a living wage rather than the minimum wage, why it is important to tell the person at the counter when they give back too much change, etc.