Our Monthly Theme: HONESTY
This month we are focusing on how being HONEST helps us live our best life.
This past week a few second grade students and I taped a video that was shared with SGR on Friday. In it, we talked about how it’s sometimes difficult to be honest. In fact, when it’s difficult to be honest, sometimes it’s the most important time to be honest.
I asked the students, “When is it hard to be honest?” An example one student gave was when you did something that you know was wrong. It can be really hard to admit what you did. But it’s important to be honest and not lie or shrink from telling the truth about what happened, especially if it affects someone else negatively. You also feel better on the inside when you are honest. You feel better about yourself knowing that you were honest.
We then practiced saying, “I’m sorry.”
The next thing we talked about was what to say in response to someone apologizing. A lot of kids, and adults furthermore, have the tendency to say, “It’s okay” after someone apologizes to them. In actuality, it’s not really okay that someone did something that was wrong. If it was okay, why was there a need to apologize in the first place?
We practiced saying, “Thank you for being honest” after someone apologizes for something they did or said. You can also add, “I know that wasn’t easy for you to say.” This acknowledges the other person’s feelings and tells them how important it was for you to hear the apology. A sincere apology is a good way to begin to heal and restore. It’s important to be honest with yourself and with others when you have made a mistake. When you are dishonest, problems multiply internally and with others.
We talked about how when people are honest with you, you appreciate that and you want to be friends with them. You don’t want to be friends with people who are dishonest. So honesty is important in terms of relating to ourselves and in relationships with other people, little people and big people.
It is true what we may have learned from our parents or our grandmothers or grandfathers… honesty really is the best policy.
Seven Grandfathers Teachings: 1-Courage 2-Wisdom 3-Humility 4-Honesty