What is an effective dicsipline for lying for a 4 yr old?

My 4 year old daughter took our cat and locked it in the bathroom. She sprayed it down with suave hair detangler and was brushing it with the cat brush. I opened the door and the cat ran out. My daughter had the spray in her hand and the brush. I asked her did you spray the cat. She said no I was spraying my hair. I felt her hair and it was dry. I then asked her tell me the truth did you spray the cat. She then said no i was pretending to spray the cat. I found the cat and it was soaked with spray. She lied to me what should I do for discipline?

Answers:
Children at her age have a fine line of understanding between what is truth and what is not. In my opinion, you asked the wrong question. You KNEW she did it so instead of asking her IF she did it, try asking her WHY she did it? She sounds like a pretty sharp little cookie and she probably figured, "hey, if mom doesn't know I did it, then I won't be in trouble." We all have those moments of thinking "it sounded good at the time" and that is most likely what happened in her case. Instead of discipline or punishment, an instructional lesson may be more appropriate. Some kids will figure if you never told them NOT to do it, it must be OK. So, a pretty stern "lecture" about what is proper use for hair detangler may be more effective. Besides, think of the hilarious story you now have to tell when her first boyfriend comes around!! Ha Ha

Other Answers:
Time outs work best. X number of minutes in the corner per offense. Make X greater for lying than for the underlying bad act.

spank her, put her on time out for several hours, take away some of her favorite toys for a few months (of course this discipline includes the actual action as well as the lying). Time out sitting on a kitchen chair facing the wall. To make it really harder make her sit on her hands.

For my two year old, losing privileges works well. Example, he lost his favorite train toy for one week for throwing them. He lost DVD privileges for 2 weeks for continually opening/closing the DVD player. He lost his Elmo toy privileges for one day for not cleaning up his toys. Since he got the privileges back, the behavior did not continue.

I have a friend with an almost four year old who uses losing provileges and having to earn them back and has success.

Get down to her level and explain to her that lying is unacceptable behaviour and tell her that if she tells to many lies you wont believe her any more.

After you have told her that ask her if she understands and get her to repeat what you have said in her own words.

Ask her to say sorry to you and give you a hug and kiss.

After that get her to help you to clean the cat and explain that you don't put spray in the cats hair because it could make it sick.

Good luck.

I say talking to him ,explain to him lying is not permitted. Time outs,Take away his favorite toy for a while.
The time out should only be 1 minute he's age. He is 4 so his time out should be 4 minutes. Good Luck!!

More Questions & Answers...

The information provided by website users, we do not guarantee its completeness and accuracy, so it can not be applied in during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.

What is an effective dicsipline for lying for a 4 yr old?

Pregnancy & Parenting