Me: Zee did you put my phone in my coffee?
Z: No.
Me: Do you know who did it?
Z: It was Kai.
Kai: I didn't do it! Zeze is lying!
Z: I didn't do it. Kai is lying!
Me: Zeze, did you see Kai do it?
Z: Yes. ........No, wait. Daddy and Noah did it.
Me: Okay, did you see Daddy and Noah do it?
Z: Yes, I did! (With triumph in his voice and acting as though Mama was going to give a serious time-out to Daddy and Noah)
Me: Zeze that is a lie. Daddy wasn't home and Noah was sleeping. That isn't what really happened and it's not the truth.
Z: Oh.
Me: You need to tell me the truth all the time.
Z: But, Mama, it's just so hard! (Said with as much passion and conviction as though I had asked him to carry me upstairs.)
Me: (holding back a giggle) It's hard to tell the truth?
Z: Yes! I can't do it. Can you help me?
Me: Sure! When it's hard, you pray to God and ask him to help you tell the truth. Say, "Dear God, please help me tell the truth." Then when you're done you say the truth. Get it?
Z: Yes! (With a confident smile)
Me: How about you try.
Z: Dear God, the truth. Amen!!! ..........Oh Mama, look there's a bug on the window! He's climbing up the window!!!
I knew my point was lost, he said, "The truth." and the conversation was over, his attention span was thoroughly used up and he still might not have any idea what the words 'truth' and 'lie' mean even though he can convincingly shout, "Kai is lying!" with a tone of incredulous outrage.
I still have no idea which one put my phone in the coffee!
6 comments:
I feel so convicted by your post.
It was me. I did it.
hahahahahah! that was really funny!
Good post, Debby and convincing teaching. Telling the truth is hard, especially when the consequences are difficult.
Here's a method for getting little kids to admit they've lied. Tell him that he won't be punished if he tells the truth. He's probably worried about the punishment he knows that will be coming....
This method always worked with you, Heather, and Becky.
Zeze made me laugh (inside) yesterday with his logic for not eating lunch.
Me: Zeze it's time to eat lunch.
Z: I don't want to eat and I don't want to take a nap after lunch.
(He was 2 steps ahead of me).
Me: Ok, how about if you eat lunch and then you play for a while. Do you want to eat lunch now?
Z: Yes -- and I want one ham rollup and bread and butter. (Which he quickly ate).
Z was so pleased with himself - that he outwitted Nana. Hahahahahah
Interaction between Dad and Abby dog tonight:
Dad sits in his chair, opens the laptop and begins working. Immediately, Abby (who had been snoozing) gets up and starts desperately whining.
Dad exclaims in a very aggravated voice: "What is it Abby, do you get bored when people are doing something?" Then he takes Abby outside, which is what she wanted.
@ShirleyNewLife: Yeah, except for the part where we still got punished, just not as bad as if we had lied about it. That, as a kid, always seemed flawed to me. ;-)
@Heather, Debby, & Becky
You're right, Heather - it was flawed. So sorry....
I've learned a lot since then....
Having grandchildren let's me have a 2nd chance at doing things better.
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