Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

06-04-2022

What Do You Do When Your Child Lies?

All children lie, and at some ages (especially four and five), they seem to lie rather often. But if children reach the age of seven or eight and are still telling a lot of lies, it's time to take some action. Honesty is a key part of good character.

If your child has told you a lie, first try to think about what might have led your child to do it. Children do engage in wishful thinking. Start from the assumption that your child probably meant no harm.

Try not to overreact to your child's lies. Instead, make it clear that you know the truth. As calmly as you can, talk about the consequences of not being honest.

"When you tell me you've done your schoolwork and then I find out you haven't, it makes me wonder whether I can trust you next time. I want to be able to trust you more than I want to hear you've finished your math."

Finally, don't give your child chances to lie. If you see spilled milk on the floor and ask, "Who spilled the milk?" you can almost expect that your child will answer, "I didn't." If you ask, "How did the milk spill?" you're more likely to get an honest answer.


Brought to you by:

Jackson County Schools

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