A lying child is infuriating for any parent. Lie after lie after lie can be hard on your temper, but according to a study conducted in 2010 by McGill University, blowing up and punishing your child can motivate them to lie even more. This means keeping your cool and looking at situations with a calm mind is of the utmost importance.

What motivates a lying child to stop lying?

What really makes a child want to tell the truth isn’t the idea of a punishment, but that it’ll make you happy to hear the truth–even if it isn’t necessarily good. This sounds crazy, but research has proven it.
A child often lies because they’re afraid that what they’re about to tell you is going to get them in trouble. To combat this urge to lie, the parent must make it clear that they won’t be punished for being honest. Be sure to let your child know that it’ll make you happy, not mad, if they tell you the truth.

Being a role model

Keeping it together and showing restraint isn’t all you have to do in front of a lying child; you have to be honest, too. Children are great lie detectors, they feel when you’re not being truthful. This means that, as a parent, you have to try and follow your own honesty rule. If you tell your child they won’t be punished for being honest, then you can’t go back on your word just because the truth happened to be that your child broke a rule. For a lying child, this reinforces the idea that if they tell the truth, they’re going to be reprimanded for it, so why not lie?

Asheville Academy is here to help

Asheville Academy is a therapeutic boarding school for young girls, ages 10-14. It isn’t irregular for a lying child to be experiencing other correlating issues that Asheville Academy is equipped to help with. Through our clinically intensive program and nourishing environment, your child can be guided to a healthier path.
For more information about Asheville Academy, contact us today at 800.264.8709