Community Corner

Liar, Liar: How to Cope When Kids Don't Tell the Truth

An expert shares five tips for those sticky situations when you think a child may be lying.

Have you ever suspected your child is lying to you?

“Some children are bad liars, which at least makes it easier to know when a child is lying,” wrote Bethesda-based psychologist Carey Heller in the blog post I'm Not Lying? “While others are good ones, which can make trusting your child or teen very difficult.”

Heller offers 5 tips for how to approach the situation:

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  1. Identify the reason for your child/teen lying.

  2. Calmly discuss the facts about the issue at hand and explore reasons for lying.

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  • If it is unclear if it was actually a lie, sit down and discuss the situation.

  • For lies about bigger items, confront children/teens calmly and give them an opportunity to explain what is going on.

  • Fear of punishment is a major source of lying and continued lying so, in some instances, it can be helpful to encourage your child/teen to be honest with you in exchange for limited consequences.

  • To read more from Heller’s blog, click here.

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    TELL US: How do you deal with lying? Leave a comment to let us know.


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