3. Tell the Truth
The often-times brutal honesty exhibited by children can range from the benign (“That man has a moustache!”) to the cringe-inducing (“Mommy, you look fat in that dress!”). But as kids get older and learn to modify the honesty that once came naturally, we may find ourselves missing that incomparable candor. The truth about the truth is that that most of us could use a little more of it in our daily lives. Telling fibs, white lies, and outright whoppers diminishes both our relationships and our sense of self-worth. Mark Twain may have been channeling his inner child when he made his famous quote: “When in doubt tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends.” For some truth-telling encouragement (not to mention a catchy song for the whole family to sing together), check out kiddie rock band Princess Katie and Racer Steve’s musical homage to honesty, Tell the Truth (“Tell the truth/It’s the right thing to do/Tell the Truth/They’ll still love you.”)
