Do you ever have the gut feeling that your teen daughter isn’t telling the truth or being honest about a situation? That her story isn’t adding up, and she’s trying too hard to convince you? Is she lying?
Teens lie or tell half-truths for many different reasons. They lie to get out of something they don’t want to do or to cover their tracks. Some teens lie to protect their friends, exaggerate truths to make themselves look better or just to fit in with their peers.
How do you know if your teen daughter is lying or telling the truth?
1) She will become defensive when you tell her you’re going to verify her story. If she is telling the truth, she will gladly provide information about her story. She might feel insulted, but not defensive.
2) She won’t look at you the same way as if she were telling you the truth. Does she avoid eye contact? Is she trying too hard to convince you? Is she looking at you for a long period without blinking? If she’s doing these things, you might need to find other ways to ascertain the truth.
3) Observe her body language. Is she looking away from you? Does she fidget or take long pauses before she answers your questions? Does she touch her face or mouth? These movements are not solid proof actions of lying, but they are a few things that people do when they lie.
4) Does she avoid details or change her story?
These are not always certain signs that your teen may be lying to you, but they are a few things that people do when they lie. We all know that lying is not good and if it’s not dealt with early, it can lead to a lifetime integrity issues.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:9-10, NIV)
