4 year old starting to lie...

I've also heard its quite normal, read this article

www.babycenter.com/404_how-should-i-resp...y_10m:883&pe=2UpBRQg

Was also very worried my LG's been doing the same thing

start revoking priveleages, she is old enough to understand the concept or "Actions lead to consequenses" We have started that and it seems to help a little, we still have moments though like last night I made macaroni cheese and my daughter wanted Tomato sauce on it. Reece had eaten an our earlier and had purity and was sleeping at this stage. So she was eating on the carpet in the lounge beause she was watching Spongebob which she likes (It's the only thing she watches now really) and then my husband noticed tomato sauce on the carpet so he went to get something to clean it with and asked her that she must be more careful so she pipes up, it wasn't me it was Reece. Anyhow she got reprimanded for lying and reminded about actions and consequenses.

I think its a stage they go through, they know its wrong but do it anyway, my daughter lies as well and she is now 6 years old, she knows its wrong because if you ask her why she is lying she laughs and say she was just joking.

I don't know of any remedies but believe me its gets worse when they start school.

you lucky 2kid, my 4.5 blames the 8 month old.

So last night in the bath Amandalynn was playing with her toothbrush cup, i took it away from her and as i turned my back she tried taking it again and i smacked her hand (sorry non smacking moms) while smacking i said "ek het gese los die koppie uit" and she told me that she didn't touch it, told her that she did and she just said she didn't. told her that she is lying - she said that she isn't, told her that kids who lie get mouth washed with soup, her response "ek sali weer jok nie"

it is now a daily thing, how do i stop it... help (and i dont think it is the sort of thing soup, pepper or a hiding will help, have tried you are hurting my feelings, did not work)

My 4.5 year old blames her 18 month of brother for everything.

Kids apparently relate better to feelings then facts (not sure if its true for all kids), but what worked for us at this stage was for me to explain to my son that I saw him do XYZ (whatever you know) and how it makes me feel when he does not tell the truth. I would tell him that it makes me sad, or angry, or breaks my heart, whatever was true for me at the time.

So basically I would say that it really makes me sad that you are not telling me the truth, because I saw you kick over the dogs water. I won't be angry with you if you tell me the truth. Did you kick over the dogs water? and wait for him to admit it. Then I would say right... I'm not angry at all and thank you for telling me the truth.... don't you feel better now? And then I would explain the consequence to the action, so .... when we mess we need to be sure that we clean up after yourselves, so I'm not angry with you, but you need to clean this up, so please go get some kitchen roll and clean up. Then I would fill and jug with water and ask him to fill the dogs bowl with water. Then when all is done, praise on a good job and well done.

I tried to focus on the action and what needed to be done to fix things rather then the "lie".

This worked for us, but kids are so different it may or may not work for you.

Good luck

Hope this helped some.

PS - My son took to blaming the dog for everything (drawing on the wall, messing yoggie, you name it..... the dog did it)

It is apparently quite normal - I have the same problem with Brandon (who is also 4) and asked pretty much the same question you just asked here is the link :

www.moomie.co.za/forum/7-toddlers/65942-...-year-old.html#65942

I have found that by letting him know how dissapointed I am by his lies has improved the behaviour