(20 second read)
Don’t Pop the Trust Balloon!
Question:
Hi Devora,
Thanks for the idea regarding the Popped Balloon Method. You mentioned in the last blog post that you use the “popped balloon” idea for kids who struggle with honesty. How do you present this concept to a child with honesty/dishonesty challenges?
Answer:
I show the child a balloon and explain that whenever they speak truthfully, they’re growing the balloon of trust. But every time they lie, hide information, or twist the truth, the balloon pops — and all the trust they built up goes out the window. They can rebuild that balloon again with total honesty, but if it keeps popping over and over, people eventually stop trusting. It can take a VERY LOOOONG TIME to earn that trust back after many popped balloons. That’s simply the reality!
Stay warm!
Yours,
Dr. Devora