Securely Attached Q&A: What should I do when my child lies?
Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...
- Whether lying is a normal part of child development or a sign of a deeper issue.
- What kids are actually trying to solve when they lie and how understanding that can change the way we respond as parents.
- How lying can function as a stress response, similar to fight, flight, or freeze, especially for kids with still-developing executive functioning skills.
- Why pushing for confessions, lectures, or punishments often backfires, leading to more power struggles and less honesty — and what to say in the moment instead.
- How to teach honesty over time without making your child feel unsafe bringing you the big stuff later on.
If your child has started lying and you find yourself wondering whether this is "normal," whether you should be worried, or how to handle it without condoning the behavior, this episode will help you respond with more calm, clarity, and confidence.
REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:
🗞️ Fight, Flight, Freeze… or Fib?
ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about whether encouraging imagination will lead to lying in the future
🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about getting your child to cooperate without using threats
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:
Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!