Show Me Character
Trustworthiness

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Characteristics of Trustworthiness

• Be Honest
• Don't deceive, cheat, or steal
• Be reliable- do what you say you'll do
• Have the courage to do the right thing
• Build a good reputation
• Be loyal- stand by your family, friends, and country

Working with Children and Teens

• Discuss with children or teens how trust is earned and why we consider others trustworthy.  Provide specific examples and illustrations to express thoughts.  Sample discussion questions may include: 
• How do others earn your trust?
• How do you know when you can trust people?
• Which people do you feel are the most trustworthy?

Ask children or teens to write the names of people they can trust and why they consider them trustworthy.  Younger children can draw a picture that relates to each of their choices.

Practicing Trustworthiness 1
People with good character are people we can trust. Trust is not automatic. Earning trust takes time, losing trust can happen quickly. Honesty, promise keeping, loyalty and integrity are four elements that are key to building trustworthiness. Use these guidelines for earning and maintaining trust.

• Tell the truth.
• Be sincere. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you find something that doesn’t belong to you, return it.
• Keep your word.
• Be reliable.
• Return things you borrow.
• Keep private information private.
• Don’t gossip.
• Don’t ask a friend to do something wrong to keep your friendship.
• Stand up for and act on what you believe.
• Do the right thing no matter what you lose in the process.

Are you worthy of trust? Spend some time thinking about how trust is earned and why it is so important. Consider one of the following:

• Your teacher has miscalculated your test score giving you a higher grade than you deserve. What do you do?

• The teacher is in the hall and you need a pencil. There are pencils in the teacher’s desk drawer. What do you do?

• You did some work on your 4-H project but when the fair got closer and closer your mom finished the project for your. You go to conference judging and the judge asks you if you completed your project all by yourself? What do you say?

Practicing Trustworthiness 2
“I trust you.” Doesn’t it feel great when you know people trust you? Have you ever thought about how you get people to trust you? You can’t just tell them you are trustworthy. Trust must be earned by demonstrating honesty, integrity, promise keeping and loyalty. Trust is earned, one trustworthy deed at a time. Think about it like a tower.

Every time you do something to show you are untrustworthy (miss curfew or not study for a test) a block is removed from near the bottom of the tower that may cause the tower to tumble. You must then start building trust all over again. Every time you do something to show you are trustworthy (do your chores, help a friend with homework) a block is added to the top of your tower.

Exercise
You have just made the cover of Honest Confessions magazine. Draw yourself on that cover and list “articles” that indicate in words or pictures some of the stories included in that issue. Here are some suggestions: “When My Parents Trust Me Most,” “When I Trust My Parents Most,” “I Destroy/Earn My Parents’ Trust in Me When I…” and “I Think Trust Is Really Important Because…

Missouri 4-H youth development character education program is based on CHARACTER COUNTS®