Why is my kid such a liar?

Why children lie — and what to do about it

Conor blaming a dog.
(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock)

Most parents are horrified the first time they catch their kid out in a lie. We think that, generally, decent people — the type of people we want our children to become — don't lie. Just how worried should you be if your little one has started fibbing, and how can you encourage them to tell the truth?

According to child and teen psychiatrist Gayani DeSilva, MD, lying can actually be a sign of healthy development in young children.

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Claire Gillespie

Claire Gillespie is a freelance writer with bylines on Health, SELF, Refinery29, Glamour, The Washington Post, and many more. She likes to write about parenting, health, and culture. She lives in Scotland with her husband and six kids, where she uses every (rare) spare moment to work on her novel.