Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Was there a time telling the truth felt scary, but you did it anyway, what gave you the courage?”
What to listen for
If they can name what helped, like knowing you'd still love them or wanting to feel better inside, they're showing a strong, healthy foundation of trust that honesty is safe in this family.
If they describe it as really hard and aren't sure what helped, that's a great moment to reassure them clearly that telling the truth will never make you love them less, so next time feels a little easier.
If they say "I don't know" or it hasn't happened, ask what would make it easier to be honest if it ever felt scary.
What this tells you
This shows how safe honesty currently feels for them, even when the truth is uncomfortable.