Learn why children lie and how to encourage them to be more truthful in this free online child psychology course.

In this child psychology course, we delve into the concept of lying in children and explain how it affects their development. We lay out the benefits of learning to tell lies at a young age and compare the different types of lies and how they are handled. We also compare pathological and compulsive lying in children and describe how lying changes as they age.

The course outlines ways in which parents and teachers can support children in truth-telling while discouraging lying. It's important to note that lying is a normal characteristic of child development and we will discuss the many reasons why children lie and identify the signs to look out for. This child psychology course also traces the evolutionary origins of lying and explains how a child's social environment can impact their tendency to lie.

On the flip side, we also describe how telling the truth can benefit us and discuss how to avoid the temptation to lie. We provide strategies you can use to promote honesty in children and address the role of common cognitive distortions while providing ways to manipulate children who have experienced early childhood trauma. This child development and psychology course offers you a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of lying in children and shows you how to encourage truth-telling in a supportive and healthy way. This course is perfect for childcare providers, teachers and parents who want to learn how to address their children's lying habits. Children’s relationship with the truth can affect their long-term development so sign up to understand the psychology of lying.