An Age-Appropriate Guide to Why Kids Lie (and What to Do About It)
Everyone lies sometimes. Toddlers, kindergartners, fourth graders, teens, teens, and yes, even we are mature, wise adults. We’ve all embellished the truth at one time or another to spare someone’s feelings, to get away from a burdensome task, or to save face by abandoning previously planned social plans.
While no one wants their child to lie, it’s good to know that this is a normal part of development. As reported by NPR , “In early childhood, lying reflects an important milestone in cognitive development.” Children are not capable of lying until they understand that people have different beliefs and levels of knowledge than they do. Look at it this way: trying to instill a false belief to achieve your goal is a complex learning process and achievement. Bravo?
Of course, our goal as parents is to teach the value and importance of honesty. But when our innocent little ones start talking nonsense, we can get irritated and not know how to deal with it. Here, we will look at the main reasons why children lie (at different ages) and what to do about it.