As a parent I think most of us dare to wish that our child was honest with us all of the time. I’m pretty sure that you (like me) have been told a few mis-truths over the years and have experienced frustration, especially when it is clear that you are hearing a lie. As life gets a little more complex with an adult child, I’m caused to gently ask the following question. “Can I handle the truth?” And when I say that I mean, “Can I handle to hear the truth and can I handle to respond to that truth?”

Many years ago when the boys were much younger our family sat down together to discuss and formulate a set of family values. From memory I think it was a day during one of our family holidays. The idea was suggested during a Sunday morning church service and we thought we’d give it a go. At the time we had no idea how significant that day would be for our family.