In Violet Finds A Dollar, Violet has to have a tough conversation with her Dad. She finds something that doesn’t belong to her. She is very excited by what she finds. Have you ever had to sit down with your child(ren) and have an honest conversation with them? Meaning, sometimes, you had to be the “bearer of bad news”, so to speak?
Oftentimes, it can be difficult to be “that person”. Here is what Violet’s Dad suggests you do:
1. Tell a story
Violet’s Dad reminds Violet of the time she dropped her dolly and a little girl, who could have kept her, return the doll to Violet. Using storytelling is a great medium to help place the child in the scene.
2. Verbally Encourage/Reward Your Child When You “Catch” Them Being Honest
Verbally encouraging your child subconsciously reinforces positive behaviors. Whenever you “catch” them in the act of being honest, verbal praise goes a long way in a child’s mind. Violet’s Dad is big on verbally encouraging Violet and Derek and you can do the same for your children
3. Discipline Calmly
I know it can be difficult, at times, to keep your cool when you see/ hear that your child was being dishonest. It is very important to create a safe space for open dialogue. One main way to assure your child that it is safe to be honest, even about being dishonest, in the conversation, is for you, the parent or caregiver, to remain calm when discussing what happened and why it is important to be honest
Violet Finds A Dollar is a book about honesty and integrity. This book is a good tool that can help you have honest conversations with your child. There are parent engagement questions at the end of the book, focusing on the question, “What would you do if you found something that didn’t belong to you?”