The Consequences of Dishonesty
November 6, 2018 Uncategorized 2 comments owashburn19
This year I worked with children of many ages at a child care center. Over the course of the year learned that first graders in particular make a lot of mistakes that they need help learning from, but it is not the mistakes that they make that are of real importance, it is how they learn from them. Being truly apologetic for a mistake made means learning from it and not proceeding to do it again in the future. Often times mistakes made shape both adults and children because of the learning experience provided by taking responsibility for one’s actions.
This past summer I was responsible for first graders at the child center. First graders are at a prime age to start learning from their mistakes, because although they do not know better than to make some mistakes, they are old enough to be willing to learn and change their actions if guided by the right leaders and adults.
Aubrey is a first grader, and she learned a lot this past summer from the many mistakes she made, big and small. Aubrey was playing happily with her friends in a room filled with toys that encourage imagination. She picked out her most favorite toy car, and proceeded to tell me that this was her car that she happened to lose there last year. She tried convincing me with her big frown saying, “I have been looking for this for so long, it is my favorite car!” I am familiar with Aubrey’s ability to lie very convincingly, so by my best judgment I determined that this was not her car and I kindly told her that the car needed to make its way back into the bin where she found it, and it was time to move on with our day.
Later that day, all of the kids were changing into their bathing suits because we were heading to the beach! Aubrey asked me to hold a towel up for her so she could change behind it. As she finished changing she put all of here clothes into her backpack and told me she was ready to go. I scanned the bathroom for little socks and shoes that may have been left behind, as I looked in the area Aubrey was changing in I noticed a small toy car hiding in the corner.
Aubrey’s plan did not go as she thought it would. I realized that she had suck the car in her dress, after I had told her that she could not have it earlier that day. She did not successfully hide the car again after she had changed, and little did she know that was a good thing, because she would learn a valuable lesson.
Now I have a first grader, staring at me with her big blues eyes, knowing that punishment was necessary for what she had done. I sat her down and proceeded to explain the reasons why we do not steal. She was embarrassed as she admitted to me that the car was in fact, not hers. As we continued to talk about her decisions she realized the consequences of her actions did not consist of a time out, but a very embarrassing talk with the director of the camp.
Although Aubrey struggled with this, she knew it was necessary. She walked up to the director of the camp (my boss), gave her the car, and explained that she had stolen it, she was very sorry, and she wanted to return it. The director thanked Aubrey for being honest, and doing the right thing, and set her free to join the other children.
In conclusion, that day Aubrey made a big mistake, and learned the consequence of it. She was able to understand why owning up for your mistakes is the first step to being forgiven for the mistake. Aubrey also learned the consequences would have been greater is she had not owned up do what she had done. Aubrey did not steal anything else after that day, she learned from her mistake and now she knows to be honest at all times.
2 Comments
Lying is a big mistake especially if another person knows the truth. Children tend to lie to get their way or take a toy that they want that doesn’t belong to them. I have learned that from working at a child care program for 3 years now. Not only have I caught children lying, but I myself have lied and learned from it because my consequence was losing friends. The consequence has taught me to tell the truth even if it hurts or I may get in trouble.
Not lying is certainly something all children learn. Some kids learn it the hard way and some may learn the easier way but in the end hopefully they turn out to be people that tell the truth one way or another.