Many parents have to deal with the problem of children lying – this behavior is especially common in adolescence.
What to do if a child has lied
In this regard, it is important to understand how to react correctly if you find yourself in such a situation. The following recommendations will help you with this.
Wait until the child finishes speaking.
Wait until your child has finished speaking and let him know that you are ready to listen to him again, but at the same time point out what in his story seems true to you and what seems unrealistic.
Ask questions
To understand what exactly happened and what the consequences of the deception are, ask open questions. On the contrary, accusations and interrogations should be avoided.
Have a conversation with your child
It is important for your child to understand in what situations lying is acceptable and when deception is undesirable.
Thank you for your honesty
Thank your child for choosing to tell the truth.
What to do if your child continues to lie
Even if the child's deception continues, you should still be guided by the presumption of innocence: do not accuse him "just in case" or with the purpose of "scare", since the result of such behavior on your part will be fear and distrust of you in the child.
Try to find out the facts by asking questions and without using pressure.
Explain to your child that if he turns to you in a difficult situation, you will provide him with support.
Your focus should be on how to deal with the problem at hand, not on punishment.
Of course, you need to discuss the consequences of the deception and how things would have turned out if you had found out the truth right away.
Come up with specific statements that your child can come to you with in difficult times, and when he does just that, show him that you value his trust.
What to avoid
Some approaches may make the situation worse.
To avoid making things worse, try not to push your teenager into a corner where he or she is forced to admit the truth.
A bad option is to shame the child for lying, call him a “liar,” or cut him off mid-sentence to declare that everything the child said was a lie.
