Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old

The prompt

“Was there a time you told the truth even though a different answer would have impressed someone more?”

What to listen for

If they can describe choosing honesty over looking good, they're forming an identity that doesn't depend on managing what other people think of them, a strong, quiet kind of confidence worth naming.

If they admit they've stretched the truth to impress someone, don't lecture, ask what they were hoping that would get them, since the need underneath it matters more than the choice itself.

If they say "I don't know," ask about a time someone asked if they liked something and the honest answer was no.

What this tells you

Their answer shows whether their honesty holds up even under social pressure to look good.