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proserpina_gw

Lie Like a Rug

proserpina
16 years ago

I think it's always hard for a parent when children lose their innocence, i.e. when they simply grow up. A parent's job (one of many) is to find a way to work through the difficult spots and be a constructive force in a child's life.

THAT SAID, how do you deal with a child (7yo boy) that has begun to lie and suddenly doesn't seem to be able to stop, even when it comes to the most basic things?

He has lied about having finished homework, about having finished a meal (I think we ALL know the napkin trick), having spoken to his teacher and relaying a message from her (when he hadn't been at school), having done his chores, having used soap in the bath... You name it, he's covered that ground.

We have joined custody and he has lied at the other household about things that happen here, but he's been called on it.

We've taken away privileges, we've tried constructive punishments, we've had heart to hearts, we've had talks about how lies are worse than "doing something bad"... But nothing seems to be working and it is beginning to sadden me to see him lie about even really silly stuff (he woke up before everyone else and said he had made himself breakfast when he hadn't). I get that he is just trying to get out of things he doesn't really feel like doing, I just don't get the lies.

I want to think that this is just a phase that he is going through, that he is testing his boundaries in a new way... We are also trying to give him extra attention because he was the youngest (he has 2 older brothers) up until his baby brother was born two months ago and maybe he's just looking for more attention... But I am going in circles here: have any of you found ways to stop the lying?

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