Fibbing (also on FB)

lewispm

Ok ladies, I need some advice on how you handle fibbing in your house. I know its a normal stage of development and is a sign that the child is practicing his/her imagination, but the line needs to be drawn somewhere and Kellen's fibs are getting out of hand lately. Yesterday he was crying because I wouldn't give him more candy and MH came in and asked him what was wrong and he said "mommy hit me in the face"! I couldn't believe it. There have been many other instances where he tells me the dogs did bad things when they didn't and he even told me his teacher bit him (which I know is not true). I never know when to believe the little fibber!

How do ya'll handle fibbing in your house? Do you correct them? Do you tell them its not nice to fib/tell stories/lie, etc? Do any of you even have this problem or am I alone in this? Thanks!!

** I posted this on the FB group too, but wanted the opinions of you lovely ladies who aren't in that group. Thanks!***

Pleione

Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone. My kid nearly sent us off looking for other daycare options after claiming "the children are bullying me" and "hitting me" and "my teachers don't like me/ hit me." It's tough because I'd hate to dismiss something like that in case there's any truth to it, but at the same time, I think she's fibbed about hitting/ being hit a couple times. I'm just afraid to come down too hard on her because I don't think she understands what she's saying completely, and maybe using words like "bullying" to communicate a general negative feeling.

I think I'd be more inclined to talk about "lying" if I had first hand knowledge of it being a blatant lie - like the "mommy hit me" claim. But I've been using the word "pretending" rather than "lying" so far - so I'll ask her if it really happened or if she's pretending it did to make a distinction. I'd like to know what other folks are doing about this too - completely new territory.

lewispm

Thanks guys! @sarasansh, your advice about practicing "retelling" is really good. That is definitely something I will start doing. He tends to have trouble repeating back to me what he did sometimes unless it was extra interesting or something he was super excited about (ie: He might just reply "ummmm..." if I ask him what we just did after we play with a car or something, but he talks about what we did when we went TOTing and to the pumpkin patch all the time).

 I try to ask him what he does at school, but he pretty much always just tells me he played with trains. I know he probably did, but it's all I ever get unless I ask specifics, and then he will just say yes to pretty much everything I ask. He will randomly add in "so and so hit me" or "Gigi (his teacher) said NO!" and it may or may not be true. Usually if he says his teacher said no, I ask him if he got in trouble and he says yes and when I ask why he will usually tell me something like  "chair! up! No no! (he climbed on the rocking chair) or "I hit so and so". I usually ask the next day if it happened and 50% of the time it did, the rest it didn't. So there is really no telling with this kid! LOL

I do feel much better knowing some of ya'll have experienced fibbing too, though!