Teaching a 2 Yr Old About Lying

She is too young to understand a concept like lying, read the books by Louise Bates Ames. Called" Your two year old", Your Three year old", your 4,5,6 year old ...They come from researching thousands of kids. They really help us Moms to see when a child is just being a 2 year old or just being a 3 year old and not necessarily doing something bad etc.. becasue they don't have the brain development yet. The books take alot of stress off parents and help us to understand the correct expectation for the children at various ages.They are really wonderful. Good luck!

I'm sure there are books, like in the Berenstein Bears series, but she's too young to understand that she is lying. I had one like this and I began to just tell her what I saw, like "I see you got the candy out of my purse" or "I see you need fresh panties". No judgment, no punishment. She'll get it as she matures.
I actually had a photo of her with chocolate syrup all over her after she'd denied getting into it! I read a book that convinced me I was "making her" lie by asking if she'd done it. It got to be a habit I didn't want her to have. She's a very mature, responsible adult today. Morality isn't something she can understand yet. Good luck, W.!

She's too young to comprehend the difference between a truth and a lie. Congrats on getting her to use the potty so young--that in itself is great at 2 years old. Heck, my 4 year old still has a hard time with the lying and telling the truth issue. You are doing the right thing by explaining to her what it means to lie and that lying is wrong. To reinforce that lying is wrong, you may want to show her the consequences of this bad behavior by putting her in a 2 minute time out each time she lies. With you being consistent, she'll get the message. Also, praise her when she does tell the truth. It may take a while, but eventually her little mind will understand:)

Have a great weekend:)

M.

There are some adults that still don't understand that concept...:-)

I am not sure what YOUR belief system is, but with my kids I tell them that God and the Angels know. Why? Its really hard to get them to admit to something YOU KNOW they did, but have no real proof. I tell the kids that it makes Mommy, Daddy, and the Angels sad when they say something that is not true. And the bible says to only say whats true.

You can also describe it as Truth is something that really happened and HOW it happened. A lie is something that isn't real and did NOT really happen. Something that you might WISH had happened, but it really didn't.

If you catch her lying about something you need to have consequences for it... whether its a time out, taking away a toy etc...

But having a 2 yr old understand any of these will be a miracle. Honesty is a pretty abstract concept and they are usually a bit older before they start to grasp it.

As she grows stress the fact that if you tell the truth the first time then you only get in trouble a little... But if you lie about it the trouble GROWS with each lie. Then follow thru with it.

As a 2 yr old when you know she's fibbing call her on it. Look at her with that look moms and dads do and tell her disapprovingly that you know thats not right. You KNOW she did it. And then follow thru with an age appropriate punishment. Start to distinguish between right and real and wrong and lying early.

It takes time. We have always STRESSED honesty with our kids... And my hubby and I do not lie (gotta set the example)... But last year we had to really get the idea thru to my then 7 yr old who was telling her teacher things like she "fell out of a moving van and landed on her back", " she has a 12 yr old step brother who lives in Canada and we have to pick him up every weekend", " we hit a deer and had to drive to PA to get the van fixed...". She denied and denied it over and over...
It took 2 weeks of having to go to bed right after dinner, no fun time with the family, having to write sentences daily,and writing an apology to her teacher. But we took the come down hard on this one and let her know it only gets worse from here if the lying continues... Its a non issue now. :-)

I agree with the other poster - at this age, she is still too young to fully comprehend the difference.
I also feel that maybe she is not fully ready for the potty training. It does come in stages. First they master peeing in the potty, then the BM's come... but it is harder for them to sit there. Think about it - how would you feel if it was your first time and there was nothing there at the end of your bottom to catch it? She probably feels as if everything will fall into the potty! That is one reason for hiding when she's pooping.

As for the rest - sorry, but that just comes with age. I would pay attention to what she takes in during the day, like television shows. Even at five, I watch what my son does to make sure it is acceptable and non-offensive in language, behavior, manners, etc.

I would practice patience and gently correct her as she will pick up that you are upset or angry and that will only make the situation worse.

W., A 2 yr old is not capable of understanding a concept like lying. It's like asking a 6 mo old to walk before they are ready. Or asking your daughter to read before she learns her ABC's. Google child development, and read up on the subject. It will keep you from getting frustrated with your daughter over things she in not capable of learning yet. What you have described is perfectly normal, my 22 month old grandson does the exact same thing. Good luck.

I think the Bearenstein Bears or the Little Creature books have a book about lying. Good luck.