The big ideaKeeping a promise builds trust. A word that counts makes borrowing easy.
How it works
A promise is telling someone what we will do, and then doing it.
Leo kept a promise about a pencil, then a ruler, then a book. Each kept promise grew a little trust.
Trust is believing someone will do what they say. It cannot be bought, so we build it one kept promise at a time.
A word that slipped can be mended. Say sorry, make a new plan, and start with small promises.
✏️the pencil📏the ruler📘the book🪙four coins
Three kept promises, and then four coins.A word kept, or a word missed.
Example 1: A promise kept
Leo says, I will give your pencil back on Monday.
On Monday morning he is at Mia's desk with the pencil.
He said it, then he did it. That is a kept promise.
Example 2: Counting kept promises
Leo gave back the pencil, then the ruler, then the book.
That is 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 kept promises.
Three hearts go in the trust jar, one for each.
Example 3: Four coins borrowed
Leo asks for 4 coins and says he will pay them back next Friday.
Mia says yes at once, because Leo's word has always counted.
Four coins borrowed means four coins back, no more and no less.
Example 4: Mending a word
Sam brought a pencil back a week late.
Mia said, Thank you for bringing it. Let's start small, Sam.
Sam kept small promises first, and soon his word counted too.
Words to know
promise
Telling someone what we will do, and then doing it.
trust
Believing someone will do what they say.
borrow
To take something for a while, and give it back.
Watch out
Trust cannot be bought. It is built one kept promise at a time.
A word that slipped is not broken for good. Saying sorry and making a new plan starts to mend it.
Going quiet after a promise is a missed word. Asking early for one more day keeps a word honest.
Forgetting a promise and saying nothing is a missed word.
Try it
Leo borrows 4 coins. How many does he pay back?
Is Sam's word broken for good after one late pencil?
Which is a kept word: bringing the book back on the promised day, or saying I will pay you back and then going quiet?
How many kept promises are the pencil, the ruler and the book?
Answers: 1. 4 coins · 2. No · 3. Bringing the book back on the promised day · 4. 3
Try at homeWith a grown-up, make one small promise this week (a job, a time, a thing to bring back) and keep it. Say how it felt.
For grown-upsMake one small promise together this week (a job, a time, a thing to bring back) and keep it. When one slips, show the mend: say sorry, make a new plan, start small. The coins in the story are pretend.
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