Warning Signs Your Child is Lying: What Smart Parents Should Do

Below are some signs that a child is lying to you. Women need to address this behavior early to correct a child's lying habit.

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Topic Shift

A sudden topic shift in a conversation can be a noticeable signal when your child tries to steer you away from a discussion. This behavior is often used to avoid detection when lying or to avoid getting caught in a difficult situation that would require the child to lie.

Avoiding Eye Contact

Another form of evasive behavior is avoiding eye contact. Older children often avoid looking directly into their parents’ eyes during communication, especially when lying. For young children, the ability to maintain eye contact is still difficult as they struggle to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

Change of Body Weight Distribution

Another sign is a change in body weight distribution. If your child constantly shifts weight between the legs while speaking, this could be a sign of discomfort with the information being presented, as well as an inability to provide an accurate picture of the situation.

Fidgeting, Blinking

Other unusual gestures such as fidgeting, excessive blinking or not blinking, along with defensive reactions such as strong hand movements, touching the face or nose, or scratching the ear, are subtle signs of lying.

Over-Explanation

Over-explaining is one of the signs where the child provides more information than usual on a topic, which can be a warning sign. For children who are not talkative, this change may indicate that the child is trying too hard to express their opinion.

Delay in Response

Delaying responses, repeating questions, or delaying answers can be signs that the child is trying to distract to have more time to come up with a suitable answer. These behaviors often do not accurately reflect the truth.

If your child’s version of the story is inconsistent and lacks coherence, it may indicate that the child is struggling to create a consistent narrative and may be facing a situation that they cannot explain clearly.

Change in Tone of Voice

A change in tone of voice, such as sudden deep or high pitch, can be a sign that the child is trying to lie. Lying is often accompanied by increased anxiety, leading to a change in the intensity of the voice.

What to Do When You Catch Your Child Lying?

When you catch your child lying, the best approach is to remain calm and empathetic. Encourage your child to talk to you about the truth and support them in resolving the situation positively. It is important not to label your child as a liar but to help them understand the consequences of lying and encourage honesty.