Once children know and understand the rules of right and wrong, we can then  teach them to be accountable and responsible for themselves. An especially meaningful lesson is teaching children to be truthful and honest. I've taught my girls that if they tell me the truth about any situation, they will not get in trouble. If they lie, they will most certainly get in trouble. This has not only taught them that being honest works, but also that lying isn't going to get them out of trouble or help them achieve a desired outcome. They are less likely to lie to anyone else, expecting that by being straight forward, honest and secure in their truth, they will not encounter resistance. If they do, they are strongly rooted in their knowledge of right and wrong to stand firm in their beliefs and remain accountable for their words or deeds.

While we want our children to be secure, we must also realize and teach them that if they mess up, there will be consequences. Consequences do not have to equate to punishment per se. For example, if your toddler takes a pack of gum from the checkout counter at the market while you are paying for the groceries, an appropriate consequence would be to bring your child right back into the market and have him/her give it back to the manager and explain that they stole it and then apologize. This will make a much bigger impact on your child than a swat and/or an accusation and they will learn accountability. I can guarantee you they will never take another pack of gum from the counter or anything else that hasn't been paid for. This is a lesson in positive consequences for parents as well as a great lesson to teach a child. They will be much less likely to break laws as they get older knowing that Mom or Dad will not let them get away with breaking rules and they will understand respect for authority, which will keep them out of bigger trouble as they grow up.