God is spoken of as the God of truth. Less than the truth is a lie. Evasion, excuse-making and exaggeration are all halfway houses toward what is false and ought to be avoided. Encourage them in any circumstance to be straightforward and, whatever it may cost them, to speak the truth.
I urge it also for our own comfort and assistance in all our dealings with them. We will find it a mighty help, indeed, always to be able to trust their word. It will go far to prevent that habit of concealment which so unhappily prevails among children.