Community Corner

Moms Talk: Caught in the Middle of a Lie

What do you do when your child isn't telling the truth? Weigh in on the topic as part of this week's Moms Talk discussion.

You're out of the room for a few minutes when you hear a crash.

Your child, who has chocolate on his or her face, is standing over the shattered remains of the cookie jar. He or she immediately points to the family dog, who is sleeping across the room.

You know your child is lying. What do you do next?

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 That is the question that Patch is posing to you, our readers, as part of this week's Moms Talk. The aforementioned situation is hypothetical, but lying is an issue that frequently confronts parents.

There are any number of reasons why children lie, according to the Center for Effective Parenting, including fear of punishment, low self-esteem or an overactive imagination. While the reasons — and the lie — may change from day to day, how you handle the situation likely does not. What steps do you take to teach your children about lying? Do you resort to discipline? If so, what is a fair punishment for a child caught lying?

Find out what's happening in Inver Grove Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Our six-member Moms Council—including, , , and —is ready to weigh in on the discussion this week, and we encourage you to share your thoughts as well.

Post your thoughts, advice or questions in the comments section below. Also, if you live in the area and are interested in joining our Moms Council, email Inver Grove Heights Patch Editor David Henke at david.henke@patch.com.


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