The Voice of Conscience

9pm. Cerise's bed time. She had been instructed to go to sleep. A few minutes later, an upset Cerise comes out of the bedroom. My first thought was that she was stalling... again... and I expected her to ask either Daddy or me to be by her side until she fell asleep.
MUMMY: What's the matter? Why are you crying?
CERISE: My mind is telling me I told lies! (crying even louder)
MUMMY: (confused) What?
CERISE: I can't sleep because my mind is telling me I told lies.
MUMMY: What do you mean? (amazed at how she's come up with a new smart excuse of not going to bed)
CERISE: I don't know. I just... I can't sleep because my mind keeps telling me I told lies.
MUMMY: (intrigued by this unprompted manifestation of guilt and conscience by a 7 year old) Oh. Okay. Well, did you?
CERISE: Yes! (unable to control her tears)
MUMMY: Well, what is it then? Tell me.
CERISE: You promise you won't be angry?
MUMMY: Okay, I won't be angry.
CERISE: You promise you won't tell Daddy?
MUMMY: Okay, I won't tell Daddy. I promise.
CERISE: (hesitated)
MUMMY: Come on. Tell me. You know you should always tell me everything and never lie.
CERISE: I cut my hair with scissors! I'm sorry! (crying louder than ever)

.... Now there is a history I must tell you. Once when she was maybe 4 years old, she had played with some kids cutting her hair with a pair of scissors. She never told us until I noticed that her bangs or fringe were not straight. We confronted her and out came the truth. Mum and Dad were not at all happy and told her off. Obviously she never forgot.

Back to present... I started comforting her while she confessed the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I left it at that. And I thanked her for telling me the truth and how brave that was of her and that she must always remember it is important and better to tell the truth. The voice within stopped and Cerise had a good night sleep.

Of course I told Daddy! I always do! But warned him not to speak to her about it because I promised not to tell.

Two days later, the three of us were together and I told Cerise maybe it was time for her to tell Daddy what she told me. Panicked, she said she wasn't going to.

CERISE: No, I don't want to tell him! (started crying)
MUMMY: Don't worry. It'll be alright.
DADDY: What? What is it?
CERISE: (even more panicked) No! I am not telling him! No!
MUMMY: It's okay, Cerise. I'm here.
CERISE: But you promised me you wouldn't tell him!!!
MUMMY: Oh I know that. But I won't tell him. YOU will.
CERISE: (a moment of silence and then she murmured...) But I promised MYSELF I wasn't going to tell him so I'm not going to.

... and yet again, she stuns me with her points of argument.