Learn About Trust and Reliability by Keeping a Pinky Promise

A child's pinky promise is a commitment to oneself and others. For them, this looks like sharing toys with others, staying friends until summer, or listening during class discussions. Children failing to honor their words can damage others' trust, strain their relationships, or cause them to miss out on opportunities.

Schools and educators must teach their young students the value of keeping promises and the consequences of breaking them. Imparting this knowledge helps children take responsibility for their actions and others' expectations. In this social-emotional learning lesson for kindergarten, students understand how to stay true to themselves and others by showing up to their promises.

This lesson starts with students presenting their completed homework, which shows their ability to uphold their commitments. Some students take pride in keeping their promises to be kind to their family and friends. Others display reliability by honoring their words to help others, studying their letters and numbers, and treating others positively.

After each presentation, the class congratulates those who are truthful about their commitments. Those who are unsuccessful in keeping their promises are encouraged to explain their reasons. The teacher also takes this opportunity to enlighten students about the difference between reasons and excuses. Finally, those who forget about their promises receive another chance to carry them out the next day.

As the lesson concludes with the presentations, it is crucial to engage students in a reflection on the importance of keeping promises. Keeping promises is essential for establishing a culture of honesty and reliability; it also builds trust and strengthens relationships. When children consistently follow through on their commitments, others can rely on them and have confidence in their words.

It is important to address and support young students in honoring their promises. Schools and educators can do this by teaching kindergartners to set realistic expectations for themselves and practice self-management. By exercising self-awareness, students can be honest about themselves and set expectations accordingly. Managing themselves, on the other hand, allows them to uphold their commitments.