June POWerful Words – HONESTY – Week 1
When people talk about being honest, usually they talk about lying or telling the truth. And while telling the truth is part of honesty, there are a lot of ways to be honest or dishonest. We make choices about honesty/dishonesty when we decide whether to steal, ask permission to borrow something, buy it or walk away when we don’t have the money. We make choices about honesty when we choose whether to cheat on a test or while playing a game or work and play fairly. And yes, we make choices about honesty when we choose to lie or tell the truth. When we are truthful in words and in actions, we are showing honesty. A big part of honesty is whether we tell the truth or we tell lies. If a younger student/sister/brother/cousin asks you what it means to tell the truth and what it means to tell lies, what would you say? What do people lie about (i.e. grades, skills, things they were supposed to do but didn’t)? Why might someone lie about (1) Their grades/scores at school (i.e. think parents might get angry, think friends might make fun of them, want friends to think they are really smart)? (2) How good they are at a skill/sport (i.e. want people to think they are better than they are, don’t want to be embarrassed)? (3) If they like something that other people don’t like– such as a food, TV show, person or book (i.e. don’t want to feel different, don’t want people to think they are strange)? What would you think if a friend lied to you? Honesty is important!