Developmental Asset Message of the Week 12/6 - #29 Honesty

64% OF MIDDLETOWN YOUTH REPORT THAT THEY TELL THE TRUTH "EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT EASY..."

Unfortunately, cheating and dishonesty are more prevalent in our children than we would like. In a survey of 3,370 high school students nationally, about 9 out of 10 said that cheating is common at their school. The number one reason for cheating: It’s not a big deal. Yet honesty is a big deal. Of youth surveyed, 64% say they believe it is important to tell the truth even when it is not easy. And there’s a difference between girls and boys: 70% of girls say they value honesty, whereas only 58% of boys do.  To instill the value of honesty, we need to talk about it, model it, and explain why honesty is an important value.

EASY WAYS TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO VALUE HONESTY (Asset #29)
1.  Encourage each family member to make a personal commitment to tell the truth. Honestly acknowledge feelings. Honestly admit to successes and mistakes.

2.  Don’t overreact if a child tells you something you don't agree with. Children may lie if they fear your reaction.

3.  Work together to come up with rules about honesty and the consequences for dishonesty.

4. Make sure to acknowledge when a child tells the truth about something, especially if you        know it was difficult for them.

MODEL HONESTY - MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU SAY IS WHAT YOU DO....
1.  Correct the situation immediately when clerks give you too much change.

2.  Be honest with sales people.  Instead of making an excuse, say, “No, thank you , we're not interested."

3.  Admit when you’ve fudged the truth and apologize.

A FEW CLOSING THOUGHTS

"A true friend will tell you the truth to your face, not behind your back." - Sasha Azevedo

"No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar." - Abraham Lincoln

I hope you all enjoy your week.  For more information on Developmental Assets, go to www.search-institute.org and don't forget to visitwww.assetpromise.org to make your promise to support Middletown youth.


(I apologize for some of these formatting errors, I just can't seem to get the spacing to correct itself after if publishes...here's to better luck next week!)