Kids begin to tell lies for lots of different reason. It’s normal and natural for them to lie to get themselves out of trouble. However, we want our kids to tell the truth and I often hear parents say that they are more cross about their child lying to them than they are about the thing itself.
So what can you do?
Dig a little bit and find out why they are lying. A common way that kids lie is by bragging? This can be a sign that they are lacking in self-esteem. If this is the case, then you could do some work on helping them to feel better about themselves so they have no need to brag.
Are they afraid of something if they tells the truth?
It’s important to create a space where your child feels safe telling you what’s going on in their world. There may be consequences to them doing something wrong but they should never feel afraid to tell you. It’s important that your child always feels safe and loved no matter what they have done.
Encourage truthfulness by praising them every time they tells the truth.
Be truthful yourself because kids are taking their cues from us. As adults we often tell little white lies. However, it’s difficult to expect our kids to be truthful if they hear us doing the opposite.
Kids behave better when they feel better. Do your best to help your child feel good about himself on a daily basis and you will see an improvement in behaviour.
Ber is the author of “Every Mum has Magic Kisses”. You can connect with her through her website www.bercollins.ie and join her Facebook Group “Mums with Magic Kisses”.
