When a child tells a lie, it may help to remember that it is both common and normal. In fact, the latest research shows that learning to lie is an important milestone in a child’s cognitive development.1 Children lie for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they lie out of embarrassment. “I’m not the one who pooped in the playhouse!” Sometimes they lie to get their own way. “I didn’t have a turn!” Often they lie to avoid the unpleasant consequence of facing an angry parent. “I did not throw a ball in the living room and break the lamp.” In many instances the lie represents a wish. Although it’s
...more
