A little girl's lesson in honesty and forgiveness...

Sadly, my last Mingle with Kringle event was today, but the day was not without its magical moments. One of which was a little girl, April, who was all smiles sitting my lap for pictures. Then we talked about her wish list and she was all smiles for that. Chris, the cameraman, was having some technical difficulties which afforded me a little extra time with some of the kids. So I asked April if she had been a good girl and she was surprisingly honest...

Me: So, April have you been a good girl?
April softly: no...
Me a little surprised: Really? What have you done?
April, looking down, softly: I lied to everyone and I'm grounded for it.
Me: Mm-hmm. That bit of naughtiness.
April: yeah...
Me: Well, was there anything else?
I was able to steal a glance at her parents who were clearly surprised that she told me about the lie, but surreptitiously indicated that there was nothing else.
April: no...
Me: Okay. I didn't think so, but you were so honest and upfront about that lie that I figured I would just double check. So just that lie, then, that you're grounded for, right?
April: yeah...
Me: Okay...well, I know you're sorry for it, right?
April: yeah...
Me: And you're going to try to never do that again and try to always tell the truth, right? Because to be a big girl and a good grown up someday, you have to be honest and always tell the truth, even if it's bad, you still gotta tell the truth. And I know that from now on you're always going to do your absolute best to tell the truth, right?
April: Yes.
Me: Okay, then! No need to be sad, April! You're still on the good list...you knew that, right?!? 
April getting excited again: Really?!?
Me: Of course you are, sweetheart! Look, because of that lie you told, you have learned a very valuable lesson that I know you won't forget. You've learned that actions have consequences. In other words, you've learned that when you do something wrong, you'll get punished for it and if it's something really wrong, you'll get really punished for it! You see, sometimes mommies and daddies have to punish kids so that they learn a lesson like you did. But here's the thing, April, I know that you learned the lesson and that you're sorry for lying and that you so badly want to never do it again because you were honest with me when I asked you if you'd been good. And I know that even though you were grounded for it, your mommy and daddy still love you and they forgive you because they brought you here to see me today. And I know that it's time for you to stop being sad about it and forgive yourself for it. Do you know what I mean by forgive yourself for it, April?
April shook her head no.
Me: Well, I mean that when you start feeling really bad about it, like you did when I asked you if you'd been a good girl, I want you try and remember to take a deep breath and let it out. Then I want you to tell yourself that it's okay to feel a little bad because you did something wrong and feeling a little bad is okay because that's just recognizing that you did something wrong. But when I say a little bad, I mean a tiny teensy-weensy bit! And finally, I want you to be nice to yourself and love yourself as much as mommy and daddy do. Now, I know that you don't understand that last part and that you're wondering how you be nice to yourself and love yourself like mommy and daddy do. And that's okay, because I want you to ask your mommy and daddy to help you with that part. Okay? Think you can do that?
April: Yeah!
​Me: Good! I knew you could!