How to Deal with Lying in Children and Teens - Why Kids Lie.
Avoid creating situations where lying is an option. If he rule is no TV until homework’s finished, don’t ask if it’s done. Go check. And if it isn’t done, tell your child to turn off the TV and finish the work. Remove the shame of lying. Don’t excuse the lie, but show that you understand how your child came to do it.
Although your child shouldn’t be immune to discipline, the latter might be a better strategy. If they're punished without truly understanding the problem with cheating, it’s less likely that they’ll stop cheating and more likely that they’ll just try harder not to get caught in the future.
Even for teens without ADHD, lying isn’t typically an action against you as a parent. It’s a bad decision. Focus less on the lie itself and more on what the lie was about. Anticipate what your child will most likely lie about. Keep an open dialogue about these issues.
Between the ages of 5 and 8, children will tell more lies to test what they can get away with, especially lies related to school-- classes, homework, teachers, and friends. Maintaining the lies.
A Procrastinator. Depends on the teacher. I’m best friends with my drama teacher and she gives out the shortest detentions (5 minutes, never any longer, even if you didn’t do a more important piece of homework, such as an essay) and doesn’t really mind if you haven’t done your homework but she stills wants it by next week (we only have one drama lesson per week).
Childline is a service that’s run by the NSPCC. We’re here to support every child or young person in the UK. If you’re worried about a child and would like support, you can talk to the NSPCC helpline. There are lots of ways you can support Childline or get advice.
Teach your child about the importance of telling the truth, and how lying can stop people believing them even when they are being honest. A good way to do this is to read books with your child which give a clear message that lying is not helpful; 'The Boy who Cried Wolf’ is an obvious example.