7 Things Children Lie About And What Should Parents Do

Children are innocent beings. They live in a world of their own, away from manipulation, and are true at heart. At times, we as adults also feel like returning to our childhood days and be like a child.

After all, those were the days of innocence! To be innocent like them, have faith in all the things around, and to say the truth every time – that's how we remember our childhood. But let's be honest, no one is an angel. Even when we paint kids in a good light, they are also mischievous little beings all set to pull some pranks anytime.

And the worst part is they can make us believe in everything they say with their toothy smile, twinkle in the eye and an innocent face. But as parents it is our responsibility to keep a check on what they do and say, especially when they lie. There are chances that many children lie in order to escape what they don’t like or to save themselves from their parents’ scolding.

We may consider children who pull these innocent acts as cute, but intentionally or unintentionally, they do lie to their parents for one reason or the other. Let’s have a look at some of those common things children lie about that may seem harmless at first but require parents' attention:

1. The scores they get: One thing that many children dread is performing badly in exams. The fear of not having a good rank does not stem from not giving their best but from being scolded by their parents or being embarrassed at school. And in order to escape such a scenario, they retort to the way they think is best suited at that time – to lie. It is the responsibility of the parents to create an environment where children are encouraged to speak freely without fear and are encouraged at every level.

2. Their food intake: It is hard to put your child in practice to consume healthy food only. After all, who does not like junk food? Children tend to lie about their intake of food when they are out. You may find their lunch boxes empty but you cannot be sure if your children have consumed the food themselves or have served others. They might eat unhealthy food from the cafeteria or restaurants. As parents teach them the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, and scoop in some candies or ice cream for finishing their food.

3. The money they spend: It is essential to keep a tab on the money you give to your child and where she/he spends it. Ideally, children should not be given money. Instead parents should buy for them things they need (not want). Even if you give them pocket money, ensure that they use it wisely.

4. The time they invest on various activities: With changing times, social media has taken over the way we live. Not only adults but children too devote a lot of time on internet, online games, and social media. And this soon turns into addiction which often results in children lying about what they are doing and how much time they spend online.

5. The fights they are indulged in: Children, especially in their teens tend to hide their personal issues, challenges, and fights from their parents. The parents do figure out that their child not being in a good mood could be a result of a fight at school or with friends, but children tend to lie about the same with parents. Also, sibling fights is another example where children lie to parents about one’s mistake. Rather, they try to put the blame on their siblings. Parents need to sit with their child and have a word with them in order to better understand their child. At the same time, give them space when they need it but let them know that you will always listen to them with an open mind.

6. Personal hygiene that they practice: It is essential to teach children the importance of personal hygiene in their daily lives. Washing hands before every meal and brushing teeth every night are some of the oral hygiene practices that they must follow. But often children tend to ignore these and as a result, they end up lying about it. It then becomes a responsibility of the parents to keep an eye on their child’s hygiene and teach them the importance of the same.

7. The people they hang out with: Children become friends with everybody and anybody. At times, they form friendship with people who are either very young or quite older than them. Although, there is no harm in that but as parents, you know better with whom your child should hang out. Lying about their friends is a common phenomenon that the parents face. In order to create a safe and good friend circle, teach the child about the same. Also, invite their friends over and get to know them better without intruding their privacy.