Three Practical Ways to Teach Honesty To Our Kids
How do you encourage honesty?

How do you teach a child the importance of telling the truth?
1. Inspire their Imagination
2. Point them to Scripture
- What does it look like to live as Kingdom people?
- How can we be set apart?
- How can we value truth and other people above personal gain and selfishness?
- Proverbs 12: 13-14
- Proverbs 12:22
- Proverbs 6:16-19
- Colossians 3:9
- Ephesians 4:25
3. Give them a Way Out
If we are honest with human nature, we will recognize that our bent is toward serving and protecting self. We will also recognize the agonizing trap one falls into because lies rarely abide alone. One lie leads to another and then another.
I write in Knights in Training about the importance of helping our children know how they can come clean. Because the only way to do that is confession. It is in confession that we are able to tear down the web of lies that we wove and live free again. We play a “Web of Lies” game (tutorial here) to drive home this point. The simplest way to become free of the snares of these lies is to come clean.
It starts with a bold moment of brutal honesty and a commitment to seek God to walk in integrity and rebuild trust as a truth-teller. It is a bold move, our children are brave enough to take, we remind them.
Use These Three Practical Ways to Teach Honesty To Our Kids
As our children walk in truth, this forms a habit that will serve them the rest of their lives. Celebrate honesty. Inspire them with narrative. Ground them in scripture. Show them the powerful path of confession and communicate your unwavering expectation and loving support in this endeavor.
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Heather Haupt is the mother of three knights-in-training and a spunky little princess. Recognizing the brevity of childhood and the power of a parent’s influence, Heather both inspires and equips families toward intentional parenting, pursuing God, and delighting in the adventure of learning. She is the author of Knights-in-Training: Ten Principles for Raising Honorable, Courageous and Compassionate Boys and writes at HeatherHaupt.com.