HELP FOR THE FAMILY/PARENTING

When Your Child Lies

THE CHALLENGE

Your five-year-old son is playing in the next room.  Suddenly, you hear a crash. You run to your son, and you find him standing next to a shattered porcelain vase. The guilty look on his face tells you everything.  

"Did you break that vase?" you ask your son sternly. 

"No, Mommy, I didn't" He quickly replies. 

This is not the first time you have caught your five-year-old son in an obvious lie.  Should be worried?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

All lying is bad.  The Bible says that Jehovah God disapproves of "a lying tongue."  (Proverbs 6:16, 17)  The Law given to Israel imposed strict sanctions on anyone who deceived another person. -Leviticus 19:11, 12. 

But not lying is equal.  Some lies are malicious; they are told to harm another person. Other lies are uttered under the pressure of the moment, perhaps to avoid embarrassment or punishment.  (Genesis 18:12-15)  While all lying is wrong, some lies are more serious than others. If your child told a lie, consider his age and his reason hiding the truth.   

You should address the problem while your child is still young. "Telling the truth, especially when it's hard, is an important lesson for children," writes Dr. David Walsh.  "Relationships are based on trust, and lying will break that trust." 

Do not panic, however.  The fact that your child has lied does not mean that he is on a fast track to moral corruption.  Remember the Bible says:  "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child."  (Proverbs 22:15 ) Some children manifest such foolishness by lying, perhaps thinking it is an easy way to avoid punishment. How you respond, then, is important.  

Next time: HELP FOR THE FAMILY/PARENTING - When Your Child lies 

From the Awake! magazine