How to Teach a Child Not to Lie

All children go through a stage of lying when they are 2 to 4 years old. I had one that wore a crown for lying, so I can tell you about teaching a child not to lie from my personal experience.

Instructions

    • 1

      To teach a child not to lie will be a challenge, so be ready for the tough job it might be. I had one that was very difficult to curb from lying and I will explain what I did to work and finally be successful. Firstly be diligent in pursuing the lying episodes. Do not let them slide as being cute or worse, laugh at the lies.

    • 2

      Make sure you mention the truth when you catch your child in a lie. This will set the truthful standard so they will know the difference between what they just said and the honest one. Have them return the truth to you in words or have them act out the truth if they cannot in words. Now they have 2 points of reference. You caught them in a lie and they now know the truth too.

    • 3

      Remove privileges when a lie is discovered. The child cannot go to the birthday party, because they do not want a liar at the party. When the truth is discovered and told, the child can then attend that party since they will not be lying and the party will be fun with honest children attending.

    • 4

      Have children tell you face to face again, if you suspect a lie was said. Watch their eyes and body language to determine if they can easily say the lie to your face.

    • 5

      In between the lies, if a truthful statement is told, praise the child telling them how happy you are to hear truthful things coming from such an honest child. Pour it on now with the joy that you are feeling so there is no doubt that the child will know how acceptable a truth is in comparison to lying.

    • 6

      If the lies continue in your child, as they did with mine, be strong. If there is company, have the child leave the room for a little while. This allows you to talk with the child and tell them if they tell lies, they will not be allowed to enjoy the company or the fun. Those things are reserved for truthful children and no one likes to be around anyone that lies. If a lie is heard, no matter how small it is, the child needs to be away from the festivities and can come out for meals only and then return to seclusion.

    • 7

      As lying continues, some dessert might be withheld since lying children cannot have dessert. My child was undaunted by that punishment. I asked my pediatrician and my doctor recommended some soap in the mouth, so I resorted to that with a wash cloth and soap. Without any success. I still had a lying child.

    • 8

      My final attempt was to sit my child down and say the words I was given after I prayed about my lying child to God. i told my child that there used to be a nice little child that lived here and I was so happy with that child. That child never lied and only told the truth. Now there is a child living in this house that lies all the time and I wish the other child would come back to live here so we could once again be happy and have no more lies. Lies ceased and my child is an adult now and honest as the day is long.

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