Day 18 Lying

18. Lying:

At times we all cover up the truth or tell 'a white lie.' When we find out that our teen is lying to us this can be very upsetting and it can lead to many unpleasant confrontations. As you bring up your teen, it is important that you emphasise the importance of telling the truth. If your teen is willing to tell the truth they should be given credit for this. If you are able to communicate the importance of being truthful, life should run more smoothly. It is also important to model being truthful. Teenagers do not respond well to their parents or carers being hypocritical by criticising them for lying while they cover up the truth themselves.

Being honest and truthful with your teen and expecting them to tell the truth is a good approach to adopt. It can be difficult at times, particularly when telling the truth can lead to upsetting people.

If your teen lies to you, there should be consequences. Being truthful is the key to effective communication and your teen needs to realise this. If they lie to you, rather than getting angry, try to calmly remind them of the dangers of lying to their parents and ensure that a pre-agreed sanction is applied. Praise all attempts to tell the truth even when it is hard, particularly when it is hard.

'Did you eat the mouse?'