When Children Begin To Lie, There's Actually A Positive Takeaway
Children's initial, funny, sometimes troubling, and always-sloppy lies are signs that they have discovered something important about how other people's minds work, says guest blogger Marjorie Rhodes.
My 4-year-old recently called out to me that he was all dressed for school and going to play outside.
A moment later, I watched him appear outside the kitchen window and begin to happily blow bubbles — in his pajamas.
It can be alarming to parents when children begin telling lies like this (as well as humorous because they are so easily caught in their falsehoods). But in early childhood, lying reflects an important milestone in cognitive development.
When children start to lie, it means they understand that other people have different beliefs than they do. It means that they understand that people's beliefs do not directly reflect reality, but vary based on experience.
When my 4-year-old told me that.
