One weekend two of my grand children aged six and three were visiting. My three year old granddaughter did not want to sleep by herself, as she was afraid of the loud train noise. There are multiple trains that pass through the night in our town. The proximity of train station means that in the dead of the night we hear the shrill noise of the train whistle. The booming sound of the approaching train and rumbling noise of the cars going on the track is loud enough to wake up the dead. She wanted her six-year-old brother to sleep next to her on the same mattress. The six-year old brother very wisely proposed, “OK, I will make you a deal. If you don’t cry when the train passes by at midnight, I will sleep on the same mattress.” She agreed.

Well, sure enough the loud sound of the train passing by at midnight woke up the three year old. She started crying. Her brother then said in a very calm and firm voice, “A deal is a deal. You said you won’t cry, so stop crying.”  She said, ‘OKay'. She immediately stopped crying and quietly went back to sleep.

Isn't this what we teach our children? Once you give your word, you must keep it. You have only two choices, either you keep your promise or you lose your trust.

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