FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Compulsive lying

Lying often starts in childhood and may be part of the normal developmental process or lying could be an indicator of a more serious problem.  Why do children lie?  Many  young children (ages 4-5) often lie because of their inability to distinguish fact from fantasy.  An older child or adolescent may  lie to avoid doing something, or deny responsibility for their actions to avoid disapproval and punishment.  Others may lie to prevent hurting people’s feelings or to protect their privacy.  For some children, lying is a common place behavior that they experience all the time. For instance, parents tell white lies, break promises or distort the truth (“I had to lie because--”).