When our children lie

I am sure this is something every parent at some point has dealt with.

It seems by nature that children lie, for one reason or another.

I wish that children were born perfect! Oh how much easier our role as parents would be.
But that was not God's plan.
Children are born by nature selfish, thoughtless and so on. Then they are to be taught and trained by their parents to have good godly characters, and attitudes.

But i must say not every child lies of course.


Children lie for various reasons, sometimes to get out of a punishment. ( this often happens if punishment is to hard: when that is the case it is so sad)



Other times to get out of doing something. ( for some reason my one son has lied about brushing his teeth when he had not: I am wondering why would you lie about something like that? When i asked him why he lied about it, his reply was,"I don't know.")



Other times it may be for the simple reason that they can lie and do to it see what they can get away with.



Also it can be done to defend another sibling ( in that case that means there are 2 kids or more lying; the offender and the offender's supporters)


For what ever reason that children lie; it needs to be caught immediately and stopped. Of course though, i know that is easier said than done.

It is not always easy to catch lying.

What i find really hard is when 2 kids come running to me at the same time and tell two different stories over a spat or incident that they just had, and i have to decide who is lying and who is telling the truth.
They both vehemently say that they are telling the truth and that the other is lying.
So what am I to do, who am I to believe?
In a case like that i have corrected both, and also sometimes just let it go too.


Then there is the situation that you come in to a room and say find something broke or tron up or something else the miss.

You start asking each child in turn if they done it. And each one replies they did not.

So the your like, "ok, i know one of you did this, who was it?"

Again the answer from all is, "I did not." (sometimes they may accuse each other for the miss deed, or stand up for each other and say they do not know who did it.)

So then what ? You know some one is lying, but who?

My mom has said in a case like that she has corrected all of them, even if it meant 4 or 5 kids!

That way she got the guilty one, though she never knew who it was.

And that taught the children that it will do no good to lie because they will be corrected just the same. ( but that can not always fix the comradeship that can exist between siblings; that was strong in my home growing up with my older brothers, they would always protect each other)



One thing i think may help with some children to over come lying is loosing the parents and other siblings trust after they have lied a time or two.

Not having anyone trust you more can really hurt.

I tell them since you have lied we can not believe you any more, we do not know if you are telling the truth or just another lie.

Then they have to build back that trust.



I am certainly not great in this area of nabbing the liars in the act and getting them to stop, but i am trying and I know it is so very important.


So dear moms do not give up, keep on the guard watching for lying. Guard friendships and what they watch. Set a good example. One day you will have it conquered!

In Him,
Mae