Ask:
My two year old is a lying fool lately I am not sure if she knows she is doing it or if it is something she is very much aware of. I just caught Isabell with her pacifier ( she is only allowed to have it in her crib at night ) and she ran and put it back in her crib, well I asked her if she had her pacifier in her sisters room and she says no mommy its in my crib, then she looks me straight in the face and says pacifiers are for night night. I have noticed that she is doing this more and more and about things that are very obvious. My older two never did this until they were much older. Isabell has an very advanced vocabulary and has been talking since she was 9 months old. I wonder if she is just starting earlier and if she even knows what she is doing. I am not sure I should punish her of ignore it? Please anyone dealing with this tell me what to do.
Answer:
Oh my gosh i'm sorry but that is just too cute!!!! I don't know if i would have been able to control my laughter when she said "pacifiers are for night night" I would probably ignore it and see if it's a phase that passes.
Answer:
Last year I took a Psychology class and we covered this topic. We were taught that children this age really do not understand the concept of lying. They can lie, obviously, but at 2 (3, or 4) they can't understand the negative or the outcome. They say that 5 years old is when it sinks in. This is just what experts say, all kids are different.
Answer:
I think that is way too young to be conciously (sp) lying to you. Usually I don't even question when ds was that age. I would just say, "put the pacifier that is in your sisters room back in your crib" and leave it at that, I wouldn't even try to 'challenge' her at this point.
Answer:
I agree. It's probably more about testing limits and self-preservation at this point. Don't label her yet, so it won't become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps you can tell her why this hurts you, and maybe you can tell her you're going to do something or give her something and then renege on it to show how lying can hurt. (This has to be short term, like get ready for the park or a piece of candy or cookie.) Or you can just let her know that she must always tell the truth and let it go. Ain't parenting fun? By the way, the scenario does indeed sound cute.
Answer:
I have to tell you guys that it was pretty funny. I had to turn away because she had this look on her face like " I am an angel and would never do anything wrong, the whole time the pacie is laying there next to her. I agree with you guys I dont think that she is doing it to be sneaky or ugly I think she truelly thinks that this is true, my husband pointed out to me that when I asked her if she had a pacie she really didnt, she had just thrown it down, so in her eyes no pacie! LOl