Lying

Some think lying is no big deal, but in reality it is. Yes, it breaks a commandment, but when dealing with special needs kids, lying is a concept that they have a hard time understanding. When you lie to them it is difficult for them to understand why someone lied and whether or not to believe the person.

Children need to learn that lying comes in many shapes and forms and that adults do it as well. People lie to look better, because they want something, they exaggerate so things seem worse or better than they really are, they say they will do something and they do not do it or they can lie to get out of doing something.

Children also need to know that lying is wrong to do and that just because most people do it, it does not mean that it is okay and that they can do it too.


So what should you say to your child?

What is a lie?

• A false statement deliberately presented as being true. (“My room is clean.”)
• Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression. (“I’m so sorry you didn’t make the team.”)

Think about a time when you told a lie. Why did you do it? How did you feel? What happened? Whether we want to admit it or not, lying is a part of life. Each of us has told a lie or two, whether it was to:

• get out of trouble (“I didn’t do it.”)
• avoid hurting someone’s feelings (“You look great!”)
• get something we want (“I finished my homework, so I’m going to the movie.”)


Unfortunately, some people do it more than others. And they don’t just lie about little things, but about big things as well.



Activities:

daniellesplace.com- Watchdog
Lesson about learning to be aware of what they say and how to control what they are saying. Lesson includes activities, coloring, crafts, songs, etc. Other lessons in this series are at the bottom: Backbiting, Taming the Tongue, Watchdog Training, and Lie Detectors.

childrensministry.com- Lies and God's Eyes
In this activity, the children will make writing appear with water and crayons to show that even when we try to cover up our lies, God sees through it all.

applesaucekids.com- Lying, The Lying Snake
Activity with story about lying and how the lies get bigger and bigger to hide the other lie.




Books:

Pinocchio- Carved from a piece of pine by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a small Italian village, he was created as a wooden puppet, but dreamt of becoming a real boy.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf- also known as The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf, is a fable attributed to Aesop. The protagonist of the fable is a bored shepherd boy who entertained himself by calling out "Wolf!". Nearby villagers who came to his rescue found that the alarms were false and that they had wasted their time. When the boy was actually confronted by a wolf, the villagers did not believe his cries for help and the wolf ate the flock (and in some versions the boy). The moral is stated at the end of the fable as:
Even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed. The liar will lie once, twice, and then perish when he tells the truth.

How Timbo Found Out That Telling the Truth Really Does Work by Steve Barancik - "Timbo" is the story of a little boy who starts seeing how fibbing can work to his advantage. But then he starts feeling the pain of his parents' distrust. When he finally tells the truth on an important matter - despite the fact that it might earn him some punishment - he actually finds himself rewarded!

A Children's Book About LYING (Help Me Be Good Series) by Joy Berry- This book helps young children distinguish between telling stories, making mistakes and lying. It also covers lying by telling a lie, lying by not telling the truth and making amends for a lie. It points out how you undermine trust when you lie. Very simple words and layout with good pictures. An excellent book for the young on lying.

The Berenstein Bears and the Truth by Jan and Stan Berenstein- When Brother and Sister Bear accidentally break Mama's favorite lamp, their little lie grows bigger and bigger, until Papa Bear helps them find the words that set everything right again.




Movies:

Pinocchio

Veggie Tales- Telling the Truth: Larry Boy and The Fib From Outer Space (25 min.)

Questions you may like to ask:

1. What was the first fib that Jr. told? He said that Laura broke the plate.
2. Who broke the plate? Jr.
3. What happened to Laura? She got into trouble.
4. What happened to the Fib? It got bigger and bigger because Jr. kept telling lies.
5. How was the lie stopped? Jr. told the truth that he broke the plate.
6. Does God want us to always tell the truth? Yes.




Games:

The Truth!- Have students sit in a circle. Pick someone to go first and they ask a question. The person to their left must answer that question, then they ask another question. The person on their left answers that question and asks another question for the next player. The play continues around the circle and the first player must answer the question that the last player asks. Remember your answers must be the truth.

For example:

What is your name?
What is your favorite color?
Do you like basketball? Etc.


bbbpress.com- Drama Game: Who’s Telling the Truth?Tell the Truth

parade.com- Two Truths and a Lie Game





Liar, liar pants on fire!

Here is a fun game that helps children to recognize what lying is and how to resist it.


This game is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit.


Introduction to game- To bear false witness means to not tell the whole truth. It is lying, but it is much more than lying. We lie to either make ourselves look good (and this is called pride) or sometimes to make others look bad. Sometimes we lie to get out of trouble. Sometimes it’s so easy to lie that we didn’t even realize we lied! The truth is very important because we need to be able to trust each other and understand each other. We need to guard what we say, and say what we mean by speaking the truth.

Do you guard what you say?
Do you lie?
Do you gossip? (Talk about others when they are not around?)
Do you boast and make yourself look better than you are?
Do you try to get others in trouble?
Do you point out other people’s faults unnecessarily?
Do you not tell the whole truth?
Do you say things about people that you wouldn’t want them to know about?




Directions: Put the Game Cards in two small basket and set near the game board. Set an egg timer for a specified time (optional). Place your markers on START. Roll the die and move that many spaces. Follow the directions on the space you land on. If you land on a “Pants On Fire” space, you pick up a corresponding card (light blue card) and read it out loud. On the card is a situation that you must make a choice on how you should answer. Remember that God doesn’t want us to lie or to be deceitful and hopefully you will make the right decision. Answer the question to the best of your ability (the teacher can coach the student if necessary). If you land and on a space with a picture of a person with a long nose, the player to your right picks up a corresponding card (light green card) and reads it out loud. You must answer the question with a “Yes” regardless if it is true or not. The player who read the question must identify whether you told the truth or a lie. If they catch you in a lie, they receive a token.



*As you play the game, take advantage of natural opportunities to highlight behaviors that facilitate or impeded being truthful and being honest. Discuss with the students why someone would be truthful and honest. You could also ask, “What do you think of Kelly’s answer?” or “What else could you say or do?” or “What is the worse thing someone could say or do in this situation?” When appropriate, reinforce a variety of ways to say or do things appropriately.

Continue game as time permits or until the egg timer goes off. The player with the most tokens wins.

Additional Rules: (For older children.) When you land on a space with a picture of a person with a long nose, the player to your right picks up a corresponding card (light green card) and reads it out loud. You must answer the question with a “Yes” regardless if it is true or not. The player who read the card can then ask that person as many questions as he likes in order to help him decide whether the truth is being told or not. Obviously, sometimes they will be telling the truth. Listen carefully how people fabricate stories in an attempt to avoid questions. When the player feels he has heard enough he says “No further questions” and states if you told the truth or a lie.


Liar, liar pants on fire! Game- Directions, Game Board, Situation Game Cards, Truth or Lie Game Cards, Tokens