Lying is a topic that has been coming up a lot lately in my work with parents. As Andrea Nair points out in this wonderfully written article, lying can sometimes be a symptom of a bigger, relational issue.

She says, “The issue could be as small as the child being temporarily distracted and not really hearing what the parent is asking, to using avoidance tactics to try and get out of a mistake.

The first question to ask is, “Does my child feel safe enough to tell the truth?” What have been the consequences of telling the truth when a mistake has been made in the past? If punishments have been used when a child comes clean, that child might feel too scared to admit a mistake. The goal is to not make lying a better alternative than getting punished for admitting wrong-doing.”

Read on for some helpful ways to approach your kids when you feel they have not been so truthful…

Read full article “What To Do When a Child Lies” by Andrea Nair