Speaking from the Heart: Stories for Kids About Honesty
About 12 years ago, when our oldest boy was eight, he had a moment of not-always-telling-the-truth. You know how kids often experiment with being dishonest? I knew why he was doing it — he wasn’t feeling safe or heard in his class at the time, and so he was looking for coping strategies.
David used storytelling to help. He told stories about the discomfort of lying, and the relief that comes when the truth is told. He told stories about how so much can clear up when you express what’s really going on for you. And it helped!
We’ve gathered those stories to share with you here!
And you know what? They can do more than help children let go of the need to lie. They can help adults too. For instance:
Are you good at speaking your truth? At saying what’s going on for you at any given moment? Can you find words to express what’s in your head and heart?
I think it’s a rare adult that can do this fluidly. I believe it gets programmed out of us as kids, as there’s often a version of ourselves that gets rewarded. We strengthen that version to the detriment of the whole of us, and we stop saying (or even knowing) what’s fully true in our hearts. (If this resonates and you’d like to explore the idea more, I recommend the book The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck.I’m reading it now — which is why this is on my mind!)
I hope these stories offer more than lessons on “why not to lie.” I hope they inspire all listeners — big and little — to speak their whole hearts!
The Dollmaker
When Max accidentally breaks a porcelain doll that’s been a family heirloom, his mother decides to bring the doll to a master doll…
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Real Magician
When the mice mistake Spiro’s quick eating for a magic trick, the mice all wish to be magicians, too. Will Spiro tell the…
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Telling the Truth
Sylvia accidentally breaks one of Martin’s inventions and blames the damage on their cat Pickles. Sylvia feels miserable, until Momma whispers something in…
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True Colors
Sylvia is inspired to tell the truth about something she’s been hiding while learning about the changing leaves.
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