What do you do when your children lie to you? This can be difficult for parents to choose what the best reaction is to this situation. You don’t want to shame them and make them feel guilty but it is clear that some form of discipline needs to be taken. This is a normal part of raising children and will definitely happen at some point. The first thing to do is distinguish between imagination and deception. Imagination is a normal part of childhood and shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Children like to imagine different scenarios and this is part of their playtime. This is very different from deception where a child will make up something to get out of trouble.
Children lie for a reason and it is important to understand what that reason is. Are they doing it for attention or to get out of trouble? If children are feeling scared about a consequence they might face, they may potentially lie to avoid it. This is why it is important to ask children if they need to tell you anything. You can even implement a certain time in family dinner where you specifically ask if there is anything that your child needs to tell you and that they won’t get in trouble if they come out and say it. As a parent, it is better to know what your child is up to rather than it being concealed from you. By knowing what your child is facing you can come together as a family to solve it.
It is also crucial to have consequences in place for when children do lie. This consequence doesn’t need to be shouted at them in anger but needs to be in place as a reminder of what will happen if they lie. Adapt the consequence to the lie. An example if you tell your child to switch off their electronic device at 8 pm and they lie to you saying they did it but stay up all night, the consequence could be that they aren’t allowed to use it for a week. You should also explain to them why you don’t want them using their iPad or mobile past 8 pm as they will be tired for the school day ahead. By explaining why something is not allowed or wrong, it will make it easier for a child to understand why they shouldn’t do it.
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