We’ve all been there: when your parents ask or press you for something, telling a simple lie seems to save you a lot of trouble. Lying can get you into more trouble. Fortunately, you have taken the first step and decided to stop lying to your parents. This is great, keep it up and you will definitely break this bad habit! This article brings together all the ways to help you be more honest with your parents, take a look!

Stop and Think before You Speak

This may help you resist the urge to lie. It’s normal to want to lie your way out of trouble or to get what you want. The key is to prevent yourself from acting on impulse. Consider the consequences of lying and think about how you would feel if your parents kept lying to you. No matter how hard it is, tell the truth to your parents. Telling the truth will make you feel better.

• Sometimes when your parents question you about something, your first thought is to lie. Don’t rush in this situation and think quickly about what you are going to say first.
• Fun Fact: A study shows telling the truth makes people happier and healthier. People who lie less frequently are more emotionally stable and in better physical condition. So, lying can actually be harmful to your body.

Consider the Possible Consequences of Lying

The consequences may be severe enough to deter you from lying. Maybe you were caught lying by your parents before and received some form of punishment for it. Whenever you think lying will help you avoid trouble or get what you want, think back to a time when you regretted lying. It may prevent you from making the same choice again.

• For example, if you did poorly on a math test and your parents asked about your score, try to think of a time when you were grounded for lying about your score.
• He lied to attend a party and was banned from going out after being caught. This kind of behavior is completely worthless, right?
• Some lies are counterproductive. For example, if you hide something about being bullied or targeted, your parents will never know about the struggles you face in school. Tell the truth and they may be able to help you.

Understand Why You Lied

If you could figure out why, you might be able to stop lying. There is some reason or motivation behind almost every lie. Try to stop yourself by thinking hard about your motives for lying.

• You want to go to a friend’s house and there are no adults there, but to reassure your parents, you may want to lie and say that their parents are watching you at home. However, if your parents find out, you may not be able to hang out with your friends for a long time.
• You flunked a math test, but you may be tempted to lie and say you did well to play your favorite video game. If parents find out, they will be grounded for a longer period.
• You might lie about something more serious. Let’s say someone hurts you at school and you’re too scared or ashamed to tell the truth. If you tell your parents, they may be able to help you.

Explain to Your Parents Why You Lied

They may be able to help you break this bad habit. Find a suitable time to talk to both or one of your parents and explain your situation. Tell your parents that you have difficulty telling the truth to them and suggest several reasons for this problem. Be frank about your problems and they may be willing to hear you out and work together to figure out how you can feel comfortable telling the truth to them.

• For example, you could say that because your parents are too demanding about your grades, you dare not tell them every time you make a mistake in school or fail a test.
• You could also say that because your parents’ punishment methods were so extreme, you found it easier to lie to avoid punishment.
• You may think your parents won’t listen to your point of view, so you choose to lie. Be honest about these thoughts. If you are more willing to tell the truth to your parents in the future, they may try to listen to your perspective with a more open mind.
• If you were more honest with your parents, they might loosen up on you a little and give you more freedom.

Practice Telling the Truth with Friends

Start small and tell them something true every day. Try your best not to lie to your parents. You can practice with a friend first. Force yourself to stop lying to your friends, including harmless or white lies, and try to tell them some truth every day. You will slowly get used to telling the truth and stop lying to your parents.

• This just means you shouldn’t be dishonest to your friends, it doesn’t mean you can hurt them or be mean to them.
• For example, when a friend asks you if you watched last night’s game, just say you didn’t watch it. Don’t pretend that you did. Although this kind of lie is harmless, it can easily form a habit.

Readily Admit That You Lied

Admit that you lied and ask your parents to forgive you. Even if it’s just a small thing, tell them the truth and explain why you lied. They will appreciate your honesty, which can motivate you not to lie again in the future.

• Keep your expressions as simple and direct as possible. You can say, “Mom, I’m sorry, I just lied to you.” Or, “Dad, I just lied to you, and I feel bad.”
• Once your parents see that you are being honest with them and no longer hiding the truth, they may begin to relax and give you more trust.

Find Ways to Reduce Stress

Sometimes lying is a stress response to being overburdened. If you have to juggle school, work, friends, or relationships at the same time, you may feel that the burden is too heavy and the pressure is too much. Telling a little lie seems to relieve stress and help you avoid some responsibilities. But in fact, this will make things worse. Try to find activities and exercises that work for you and reduce stress more healthily.

• You can try yoga, meditation, or deep breathing, or you can start working out or running to do some healthy exercises to reduce stress and make yourself feel better.
• If you feel like you have too many responsibilities that are weighing you down, try to find ways to manage them better, such as creating a schedule or reducing your activities. For example, if you have too much schoolwork and are also on the basketball team and swimming team, you may be able to cancel the basketball team activities that you don’t like so much.

Record the Lies You Tell

This can help you reflect on and become more aware of your lying behavior. If lying has become a serious problem, prepare a journal. Record all the lies you tell during the day and think about the reasons for each lie. This can help you understand whether you are lying intentionally or whether it has become a habit. You’ll learn more about yourself, which will help you stop lying.

• Try to figure out why you lied. What is your motivation? How did lying become a habit? Understand the true reasons for lying, better understand the behavior, and avoid repeating the same mistake in the future.

Tips

• Put yourself in your parents’ shoes. How would you feel if someone lied to you? Parents don’t want to punish you, they just want you to tell the truth.
• It’s not just telling a big lie that counts as dishonesty. Withholding key details or deliberately not mentioning something is also a form of lying.
• If someone hurts you, always tell your parents. Don’t lie to your parents to protect them or cover up the incident. Your parents love you and want to help you.