T•R•U•S•T and what it all means

Does your child trust you? Being a parent I hope your answer an unequivocal yes.

But still let's look at trust and see where we all stand.

Remember back to that newborn in your arms, she was very trusting. She had no reason to be otherwise. Over time, does that trust fade and if so, what causes it to diminish? Can we resurrect that feeling of parent-child trust or has it slipped away forever.

After reading Stephen M.R. Covey's book titled The Speed of Trust, I have been doing a great deal of thinking about TRUST and how it plays out in families. Covey talks about the 5 waves of trust with reference to people in businesses and organizations. These waves emanate from Self Trust and continue out through four more waves—Relationship, Organizational, Market, and Societal Trust.

I believe that we, as parents, can gain a great deal from looking at the first two waves—Self Trust and Relationship Trust—in our daily dealings with our children, our spouses and other relationships.

Over the next week I'm going to explore the word trust using it's acronym T•R•U•S•T and by doing so, give it some meaning in the world of families.

I chose TRUTH as the first "T". To fully have self trust or to be trusted by others, one must be truthful in all of their dealings. Being credible instills trust within ourself and with others.

Think of how you have felt when you learned that someone you trusted had lied to you or withheld the truth. That TRUST bank account becomes depleted rather quickly.

TRUTH is a great part but not the only of condition of TRUST.