How To Know If Your Teen Is Lying

Communication between parent and child is a popular topic in discussions, especially when it comes to lies and deception during adolescence, the period where one goes from being a child to an adult. In this article we will tell you how to know if your teen is lying to you.

This is important, as lying often leads to major problems, such as behavioral problems, emotional disturbances, and difficulties in family communication.

When you realize that your teen is lying

Parents often reach a turning point when they realize that their teenager has lied to them. Parents sometimes avoid talking to their child out of fear, as if it will help to ignore the problem. At the same time, teenagers tend to feel a lack of trust and also avoid talking to their parents about what is going on.

This leads to a gradual alienation that hinders the parents’ oversight. If this is not resolved, the immature behavior can lead to difficulties related to the environment, aggressive behavior or lack of self-control, among other things.

For this reason, the first step is to find out if your teen is lying to you regularly. If this is the case, you should seek professional help to resolve this issue and restore a healthy bond.

How to know if your teen is lying to you?

Some indicators that your teen is lying

Your teenage liar may cover up other issues. Thus, it is important to know the indicators so that you can intervene in an appropriate and adequate manner.

To begin with, you are probably reading this article because you suspect your teen is lying to you. If so, you may have already noticed these things:

• Your teenager is exaggerating when they tell you about things they have experienced.
• They often tell white lies.
• They do not tell you about things that happen to them at school, such as test results.
• You find out what they do from others.
• They post pictures on social media that show only a very positive part of their lives.
• You do not know what they are doing when they are out with friends. 
• They tell you a little bit of every story.

Body language when your teen is lying

In addition, when talking to your teenager, you should be aware of any signs through their body language. These signs will help you discover if they are telling you the truth or not. They also seem much more obvious the younger they are.

For example, they will avoid eye contact with you if they lie. In addition, they can look to the side, an eye movement related to the imagination or a possible lie. Their voice may also vibrate and their hands may be sweating.

How they express themselves

When you ask a teen a question. You should also pay attention to how they express themselves. They do not speak in the same way when they tell the truth and when they lie.

For example, they may repeat the same thing several times if they are lying, or they give too many details about a situation. This is their way of trying to justify something that is not true.

Emotional difficulties

Your teen may be lying because of self-esteem, socializing difficulties, or inattention. If this is the case, it is important to tackle the problem with good communication.

A teenager who lies may suffer from emotional challenges such as low self-esteem, depression, stress or loneliness. Thus, they lie to show themselves as the person they want to be, or to protect their parents so that they do not worry about them.

As a parent, it is important to be able to see your teen’s lies in time. In this way, you can help prevent negative behaviors that can damage your relationship with your teen, and family trust, as well as your teen’s social relationships.