Being Truthful
Being Truthful
Here at True Balance Karate in Downers Grove, Illinois, we have a social-emotional learning program called True Character. I’m Master H, the owner and chief instructor here at the studio, and I have two master’s degrees in education. We’ve developed this tool to meet the needs of our youngest students who are three or four, and our oldest student who is 85.
Recap
This month we’re talking about honesty, being truthful, being trustworthy, and being fair.
Last week we were discussing honesty in terms of defining what it looks like. Often, it’s easier to define honesty by understanding what it isn’t: lying, cheating, stealing. Kids tend to grasp these concepts better, which helps them understand what it means to be honest.
What is Truthfulness?
This week, we’re focusing on being truthful. What does it take to be truthful? It comes down to just being honest and sharing what happened.
For instance, if you’re goofing at home and knock a glass to the floor and it breaks, being truthful means admitting you did it rather than blaming the dog. It’s about having the confidence and humility to say what actually happened.
We all mess up, and kids often have a gut reaction to deny their actions. As parents, we must remain calm and model honesty. We need to show that the consequences of lying are greater than those of telling the truth.
Making it Right
When kids aren’t truthful, we must model a good apology and how to make things right. We also need to give them tools to understand the importance of honesty and truthfulness. In my house, we used the phrase “press pause” to help my kids rethink what they were saying and correct it if necessary. Ms. Loula at the studio used the “rewind button” in her house.
For example, if a child breaks a glass and denies it, we can ask them to “rewind” and admit they did it, then fix the situation. If they catch themselves and correct their mistake, there’s no trouble. If they continue to deny it, they’ll face consequences for lying. Giving them tools like “press pause” or “rewind” helps them fix their mistakes before doing the wrong thing. We want to reward them for doing the right thing, so honesty becomes a natural part of their behavior.
As adults, this habit of honesty helps us in various situations, like missing a work deadline. Instead of making excuses, we can admit the mistake and commit to fixing it. This demonstrates strong character traits and helps build trust with our colleagues.
This month, we’ll continue discussing trustworthiness and fairness. Thanks, and I’ll see you on the mat!
True Balance Karate was founded in 2012 by Master Sue and Paul Helsdon.
We offer kids karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up. These lessons are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need — specialized for their age group — for school excellence and later success in life.
Our adult martial arts training is a complete adult fitness and conditioning program for adults who want to lose weight, get (and stay) in shape, or learn self-defense in a supportive environment.
Instructors can answer questions or be contacted 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week at 630-663-2000. You can also contact us here. True Balance Karate is at 406 Ogden Ave Downers Grove Illinois, 60515 (next to CVS) Check out our Facebook!
