Tall Tales

We have all heard our little ones bend the truth as they tell stories. But the question is, when is this just an overactive imagination and when do you consider it lying?

First let’s look to what experts say about young children bending the truth? In general this activity is perfectly normal and it’s part of growing up and fitting in. Kids that lie don't necessarily have a serious problem. However, experts do caution that parents should watch the frequency and the seriousness of the lies to determine if this behavior is becoming problematic. In addition as children get older and the lines between right and wrong become more defined lies should be less frequent and less tolerated.

Why your toddler lie

There are two main reasons why kids lie:

• They have a strong imagination and are making up stories
• They lie out of fear of being punished when they know they did something wrong

Both of these activities are normal for young children. In fact, preschool children often make up stories to help them feel special or make friends.

Here are some tips on how to react:

• Don’t make a big issue of the lie
• Don’t react with fear of your anger
• Respond calmly and let your toddler know that you are aware of the lie
• If they are lying to avoid consequences, explain the lying to hide bad behavior makes the situation worse.
• Make sure to give your children lots of praise when they tell the truth

Your child’s little white lies should decrease as they get older. Help your children define the lines between truth and lies and given them a great start in life.