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Children tend to start lying from a young age. This is because they have active imagination and often get lost in their own fantasies. Apart from that they don’t have a clear perception of right from wrong as yet. A parent tends to ignore the fanciful tales but as the child grows up and lies about something more important that becomes a cause of worry. We start wondering that why is our child lying to us and what can we do to stop this so that it doesn’t become a habit.
Sometimes we overlook small lies. Don’t do this. The next time your child says something which is untrue, confront him or her there and then. He or she might lie about his teacher and later he or she may lie about doing homework when you were out. After you have checked whether your child is lying or not it is important to punish him or her but in a subtle manner like sending him to his or her room. They should be not allowed to watch television that day. These are not harsh punishments but it can be effective in encouraging them in speaking the truth.
Once your child realizes it’s wrong to lie, sit down with him and have a conversation. Teach him about the importance of speaking the truth. Sometimes parents don’t even sit down and discuss the issue. You should tell the child that they might be punished even after speaking the truth, but still you would be proud that he spoke the truth and did not resort to lying in order to escape from the punishment.
It’s equally important to praise positive behaviour. The next time your child tells the truth, do not shout at him. Because he took the courage to speak the truth even though he knew he would be punished. You can ground him for the evening but tell him that you are proud of him. Sometimes you should praise your child in front of your friends, so that he is determined to speak the truth always.
You need to practice what you preach. You cannot expect your child to be honest if they sense that you are dishonest in any manner. You have to teach your children by setting a good example. So the next time you break his favourite toy, make sure everyone knows about it, before you throw it in the bin. Always remember children will learn from what they see in life.
As your child grows up especially in their teens, it’s important to create a comfort zone for your child to open up and share their feelings with you. It’s important to build that trust factor and to have an honest communication. You need to ask them why they told a lie. Whether they lied about going to a party or about dating someone, or about failing a test, it can be talked in an open communication. And make sure the child knows that he or she will be punished if they lie in the future.
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