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Home › Articles › Discipline › An Honest Home

An Honest Home

Easy as 1-2-3!

By Melissa Granberry

Pages:  1  2  

When children tell "little white lies," they may be modeling behavior that they see at home. "If the child hears the parent say, 'Oh tell him I'm not home' that becomes a dishonest statement – no matter what the reasons are," says Elise Edelson Katch, a Denver, Colo. therapist and author of The Get: A Spiritual Memoir of Divorce (Health Communications, September 2001). "This then becomes acceptable behavior for the child. The concept of 'a little white lie' does not compute for children."

Elise Edelson Katch gives some suggestions for touchy social situations. Reviewing these scenarios with your children will help them be prepared to give polite and honest responses.

Situation A:
Your child receives a gift that he already has at home.

Polite responses include:

  • "Thank you."
  • "That was nice of you."
  • "Thanks for thinking of me."

    Situation B:
    Your child's friend has a new (but not so flattering) outfit and asks, "What do you think?"

    Polite responses include:

  • "I'm glad you like your new outfit."
  • "It's exciting to have a new outfit."
  • Have your child pick out part of the outfit that can be commented favorably upon.

    • Pages:  1  2  


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