How To Stop Child From Lying ?

Lying is saying something knowing it to be false, with the object of some temporary gain. Though a person, if not habitual liar, knows that he will have to face insult if caught. Human being is the only living species who has the habit of lying. This habit has its roots in childhood. It is essential for the parents to check this habit from the beginning. The following should be kept in mind to help the child not to become a slave to this habit.

Though it may be well meant, sternness of parents may make the child tell a lie. If the child has eaten something which he was told not to eat, and is asked with a stern voice, he will say no. This is not lying but is an escape route taken recourse to even at a very small age. The better way would have been to tell the child to find missing chocolate etc. Explaining with love that this is not correct will prevent him from developing the habit at a later age.

Ensure that if the child is of an age when he is able to understand and has lied, the child gets slightly more punishment for the wrong doing, as compared to what he will get on admitting the fault.

If the child is grown up and well understands the effect of telling lies, he has to be handled in a different manner. Parents should ensure that the child does not get any benefit of telling a lie and should not be made to feel humiliated by some act of parents, but making him realise that what he is doing is not correct is the right choice. One of the ways to make him realise is to buy him a notebook and tell him to write down whenever he has lied. When you are going through his note book stare directly into his eyes and ask him to add if he has missed something. If the child comes up with something missed out, don’t be harsh. Tell the child about you having told lies at a particular time, may be in school or office, and the extent of loss or humiliation suffered by you.

It is essential that the parents should not fight or tell lies, while talking amongst themselves in the presence of children as it will have bad effect on children. They should jointly provide counselling to the child that truthfulness is a virtue which will be appreciated by one and all throughout  life, and lying may give temporary advantage but will be harmful to studies and future working career. Not only this, the child will suffer in his/her future married life and will be embarrassed if his/her children also follow him.