How to Know When Children Lie
- 1). Look out for repetitive proclamations. When a child is lying, he may be thinking of his fibs on the spot. If you notice that your child keeps saying the same thing over and over, he may be doing so in order to acquire more time to think of new things to say. Also look out for more pauses and slower speech than usual, both of which often point to lying.
- 2). Pay attention for any inconsistencies and things that just don't make sense. During lying, a child is probably focused mostly on getting out of the situation. She likely isn't thinking too much about her details and whether they are synchronized with each other. For example, if she says she didn't take a cookie away from her younger brother because she was eating a chocolate bar, only minutes later to say she was eating gummy bears, she may be having difficulties in getting her lies straight.
- 3). Observe your child's body language. A child's body language can be very telling when it comes to his level of honesty. Look out for insufficient eye contact, which often is a sign of nervousness. When a child lies, he may refuse to look at you at all. Also, if a child acts particularly squirmy or fidgets a lot, it could indicate that he is uncomfortable due to his not telling the truth. Other body language signs include touching the face, scratching, blinking too much and leaning in while talking.
- 4). Notice defensive behavior. If your child seems quick to defend himself and is a little too eager to declare his innocence ("Mom, I really, really didn't do it. I promise you!"), consider the possibility that he may be overcompensating.
- 5). Listen to her voice. Subtle vocal changes can also point to lying in children. When your child talks, listen for shifts in volume, tone and even speed of talking, all of which are anxious behaviors.