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What is honesty?

• Honesty is telling the truth.
• Honesty is straightforward conduct.
• Honesty is being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, fair, genuine, and loyal with integrity.

Honest, trusting kids:

Tell the truth despite consequences

Voice their opinion in a kind, thoughtful way

"Tell on" someone only when necessary

Show and share their feelings

Know their classmates and teachers care and want the best for them

Feel and react without guilt

Express themselves positively as well as critically

You are being honest when you ...

Do your own homework

Tell a friend the truth

Explain the real reason you didn't turn in your homework

Keep your eyes on your own paper

Clean up your room after making a promise

Give the cashier the extra money she gave you by mistake

Write a report in your own words instead of copying

Admit you made the mistake

Turn in a wallet full of money that you found

Be honest with yourself...

Accept responsibility for your own actions; don't blame others.

Be honest about your feelings.

Face issues as they arise.

If you are considering lying, try to think of the consequences.

When confronted with a situation, think of others.

8 great reasons to tell the truth

Telling the truth lets everyone know what really happened. There's less chances of misunderstandings, confusion, or conflict.

Telling the truth protects innocent people from being blamed or punished.

Telling the truth allows everyone to learn from what happened.

You usually get into less trouble for telling the truth than for lying (and getting caught).

Other people trust you more when you tell the truth.

You don't have to tell more lies to keep your story straight.

You gain a reputation for being truthful - a trait that most people value.

Telling the truth helps you feel secure and peaceful inside.

10 tips for being more truthful

Make a commitment to tell the truth and honor it.

Tell someone about your commitment and progress.

Think before you give a dishonest answer, explanation, or reason.

Be careful of when and how you use exaggeration, sarcasm, or irony. 

Be careful not to twist the truth or leave out part of it.

Don't indulge in little white lies; don't get caught in cover-ups.

Watch out for silent lies. When you know about a lie and keep quiet, the lie lives on.

When you catch yourself lying, throw your mouth into reverse and tell the truth.

Talk to yourself quietly and ask what is the best thing to do.

Treat your to something special with you tell the truth even when it's hard.

BOOKLIST for HONESTY

For Grades K-3

A Day's Work - Bunting

The Empty Pot - Demi

Ira Sleeps Over - Waber

Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine - Ness

The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Potter

Too Many Tamales - Soto

What's So Terrible About Swallowing an Apple Seed? - Lerner & Goldhor

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Petunia - Duvoisin

Pinocchio

Ruby Copy Cat - Rathmann

Strega Nona - De Paola

Rooter Remembers: a Bank Street Book about Values - Oppenheim

The Berenstain Bears and the Truth - Berenstain

The True Francine - Brown

Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock - Stevens

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire - De Groat

I Did It, I'm Sorry - Buehner

For Grades 3-6 

The Value of Honesty: the Story of Confucius - Johnson

The Value of Truth and Trust: the Story of Cochise - Johnson

Dog Years - Warner

Humbug - Bawden

Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook - Park

The Skull of Truth - Coville

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog - Choldenko

Honest Abe - Kunhardt

On My Honor - Bauer

Jennifer-The-Jerk Is Missing - Gorman

One-Eyed Cat - Fox

Spying on Miss Muller - Bunting

Water Sky - George

Your Move, J.P. - Lowry

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