H.B. Wigglebottom Review/Giveaway -Telling The Truth

Lying is fairly common among children. They tend to tell fibs for various reasons. It could be anything from needing extra attention, jealousy over someone else, fear of getting in trouble, etc. Whatever the reasons are we can't ignore the fact that lying is wrong. It's our job as parents in this ever changing world to teach our children the values of always telling the truth. It's especially important to find time to connect with our children and have family discussions on such things as telling the truth and many other issues as well. I urge family discussions throughout our children's lives. This keeps us rooted in our children's lives, and makes it easier for them to come to us when they have a problem.

I have blogged before about the Howard B. Wigglebottom series, and the We Do Listen Foundation. Recently we have checked out their animated books and one of them is:
Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Monkey on His Back: A Tale About Telling the Truth

Howard B. Wigglebottom animated books and songs are free at http://www.wedolisten.org/.  Hardcover copies of the books retail for $15 and can be purchased most everywhere books are sold in the U.S. and Canada. They are currently on sale on the website for $6 each or $50 for a set of all ten books (US only).

Howard finds himself in various situations. Unsure of the best way to handle these situations he starts telling lies believing this will better benefit everyone. Ignoring the little voice inside his head one lie turns into more, and before he knows it he feels as if he is carrying a monkey around on his back all the time. It weighs him down and he feels worse and worse about himself. When he can't take anymore of feeling bad he decides to tell the truth. Terrified at first he begins to feel better each time he admits to one of his lies and the reasons behind them. Before he knows it he feels so happy and the monkey on his back disappears! He feels so much better about himself, and learns a valuable lesson about telling the truth.
This book does a good job of showing children why it's better to tell the truth. This animated version seems almost as if it's a cartoon. All the characters have voices, and they move. There's sounds and music in the animated version which makes it all that more fun and intriguing for children. The narrator does a good job of keeping the children intrigued and taking on all the right tones the sections in the book calls for. It just flows so easily and smoothly with no lags. Plus it's FREE to view the animated version of the book. There are more HBW Animated Books as well you can view for free.

The We Do Listen Non Profit Foundation is a group of writers, artists, designers, educators, therapists, parents, caregivers and teachers who share a vision of a kinder world with more harmony and peace and a better life for everyone to enjoy. Their books, animated books, songs, posters and lessons/discussion questions are intended to empower young children to deal with important life lessons like being a better listener, bullying, anger management, moderation, truth, divorce, peer pressure, belonging, generosity, sportsmanship, attention and feeling good about themselves. 

There is a song that goes along with this book called Telling The Truth Is Cool. Most children just LOVE music, and I love the fact that there are sing-a-long songs available on their website.
This song is really catchy and fun for children. It has a modern beat and sound to it as well. The beat of the song makes it really easy to dance to for children. I love how it flows so easily and incorporates rhymes to make the song that much more catchy. My son couldn't help but to dance along to it. It urges dancing in the song, and for a children's song this is a huge plus. Kids love interactive things whether it be a book, song, cartoon, activity, etc. And speaking of dancing there's a verse in the song that goes: "Wiggle to the top...Wiggle to the side...Howard Wigglebottom never tells a lie". It was so much fun dancing along with my son to this song, and after hearing it only a couple of times he was singing most of it on his own. Since it's so catchy and easy to remember it will help that much more remind my son of the lesson of telling the truth.

Here lately we have had some trouble with Lucas telling fibs. He is four years old and he knows not to lie. However sometimes he slips, and I find myself wondering the best way to handle the situation. One of the most recent episodes was a bathroom incident. Lucas had to use the potty to pee. He runs out of the restroom and tells me that Levi peed all over the floor and the toilet seat. Since Levi was down for a nap in his bed I knew this wasn't the case. I sat Lucas on my lap and told him that Levi was taking a nap so he couldn't have been the one to do it. If Levi didn't do it who did? Lucas looked at the floor and didn't say anything. Then I said: "It's okay if you had an accident, we all have accidents and you can tell me. I won't be mad" in which he responded: "Well, I did have an accident but I wanted you to be proud"
This just absolutely broke my heart because I am always proud of my boys. The fact that he uses the potty in the first place makes me more than happy. I told him this, and said that going to the bathroom on his own makes me proud all the time. I told him sometimes we just have accidents and can't help it but the fact that we tried is enough to make anyone proud. I asked him if he felt better about telling me the truth, and he said yes. Then I cleaned up the bathroom and he was as happy as could be. I'm sure he will tell more fibs in the future, it's something every child faces. It's also something us parents have to be prepared to address.
Has your child told you a lie or tried to hide something from you?
How did you handle it?
Do you have family discussions with your children on always telling the truth?
Feel free to leave any comments, experiences, or suggestions on parents addressing these issues. I would love to hear from you and I'm sure others would as well! :)

I am also pleased to announce that I will be doing another Howard B. Wigglebottom giveaway! If you haven't already checked out the Howard B. Wigglebottom books I urge you to head on over to their website. There are songs, interactive games, animated books, hardcover book selections, lessons/posters, etc,. Howard B. Wigglebottom is created by the We Do Listen Foundation (a non profit organization) which encourages children to feel good about themselves. It's mainly directed at children ages 4-8. It truly is a fantastic resource for parents and children. Entering is simple and easy, mainly the same thing as before but I will have some extra entry options for those interested. :)
*If you have previously won a Howard B. Wigglebottom book please refrain from entering in order to give others a chance to win. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Tori


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Disclaimer: I received a free book in exchange for review purposes. All opinions expressed are solely my own.