Image via Wikipedia

When you were a child, did you ever keep information about yourself or your family hidden from your friends?  Do you now?

While I’m not saying we need to blab on and on to friends and acquaintances about all the personal stuff in our lives, I do think that it is healthier to at least be honest about your likes and dislikes.

Let me relate a really FUNNY story about what happens when you don’t tell people how you feel…I think many of you will be shaking your heads in recognition of a similar experience.

When my husband and I were first married, my mom invited us for dinner.  Now, although she was an adequate cook, I wouldn’t put her meals in the “gourmet” category.  I’m not sure why she chose this particular recipe…she did make a fantastic roast beef…and her homemade mac and cheese was out-of-this-world!

The table was set with her best linen tablecloth and the china and silverware that she only used for “company”…everything looked beautiful!

We sat down and she brought in a large platter of chicken and tomatoes, garnished attractively with sprigs of parsley.  After everyone had taken some, we began to eat and my husband, wanting to make a good impression, complimented her on the delicious meal.  “What do you call it?” my husband asked.  “Chicken Momma Mia,” she replied.  At the end of the meal, my husband again raved about how delicious it had been, but on the way home, he admitted that he hadn’t really enjoyed it…and I agreed that it had been somewhat bland.

Fast-forward to a few weeks later…we had received another invitation to have dinner with my parents.  Again the table was beautifully laid…and again my mother brought in a platter of…you guessed it…CHICKEN MOMMA MIA!  This time my husband was a little less enthusiastic with his compliments…but I guess the damage had been done…and we were served Chicken Momma Mia several more times before we told my mother that perhaps the next time, we could enjoy one of her other culinary creations.

This is what happens when we are not honest with others.   I’m not saying one should be brutally honest…just the word “brutal” tells you that this is not a nice kind of honesty.  We can be honest without being nasty or rude or hurtful…but we should be honest.

Parents especially need to be honest with their children and in front of their children…we are their role models and they ARE watching us, all of the time…even when we don’t think they are paying attention or listening.  We want them to be honest…with themselves, with us and with others.

The picture book I am recommending today is one that is matched with a simple craft project and an easy healthful recipe in my new parenting book.   TOUGH EDDIE shows how even young children hide their likes and dislikes in order to “fit in”.

TOUGH EDDIE

Written by Elizabeth Winthrop

Illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Eddie loves to wear his cowboy boots and thick leather belt.  He enjoys building with blocks and playing with his friends, Andrew and Phillip.  Eddie also likes playing with his very own dollhouse, but he keeps it hidden from his friends because he believes they will make fun of him.  However, he discovers that his friends would like to play with it also and that they respect him and like him as he is, no matter what he is playing with.

If we encourage our young children to pursue their own individual interests…whether or not those interests seem to be the norm, we are telling them that they are likeable as they are.  Feeling good about oneself and liking oneself are important factors in the development of a good self-image.  In addition, a child with a strong positive self-image is less likely to be influenced by peer pressure into doing what he knows is wrong.

If you’d like to have 100 story summaries like this one at your fingertips…hop over to my website, where you’ll find SHOW ME HOW! on sale right now at half-price.  Each of the 100 story recommendations is accompanied by an eco-friendly craft activity and a child-friendly recipe!  Are you a parent or teacher or grandparent of a preschooler?  Or do you need a great gift for someone who needs a shortcut to planning activities with their young children.  Grab a copy…it comes with a money-back guarantee!