Tell me no lies

One of my students lied to me yesterday. I can't stand it when they do that! The little guy looked me straight in the eye and told me he didn't do something that another teacher had watched him do! I've caught him in so many lies it's ridiculous, so now I don't trust him at all. I've tried to explain the concept of trust to him, but kindergartners are slow about learning some of our more complex concepts. And many of them live in terrible home environments without role models for any other behavior. Lying, cheating, stealing, and cursing are such natural actions for some of my students that I never really break them of the habits.

Lying must be the most natural defense mechanism we have, because any child will do it at least a few times. However, most of my students soon learn that they will get far less grief from me if they just confess their sins, make amends, and try to do better next time. We all make mistakes. But lie to me, and you are in DEEP TROUBLE! Mrs. Maurer can make your life miserable. Lie to me and you don't get to play at recess. You have to write an apology. You get a note sent home to your parents. You might even get spanked by your parents or the principal. And the next time you tell me something I probably won't believe you!

Or maybe I will. I'm a sucker for a good liar. Because I'm so open and honest, I fall for lies more easily. It just doesn't occur to me that someone would intentionally lie to me. "Oh that's a lie" is truly never my first thought. I fall for the simplest deception, and then I feel like a fool. That's the key to why I hate to be lied to- because it makes me feel stupid and vulnerable.

Oh, I've told a few lies. We all have. I usually lie by omission. I fail to say anything at all and let the other person conclude something on their own that isn't true. Or I agree to do something I know in my heart I'll get out of somehow. Or I tactfully say, "No, that dress doesn't make you look fat!". I tell those little lies that don't hurt anyone. I know that's not right either, and I do try to avoid them by avoiding situations that are compromising in the first place. But I'm really incapable of looking at you and telling an out and out lie. Robert says I don't have a "poker face" at all! Maybe that's why I became an honest person. Lying was something I was never good at! LOL

So...I guess that's why I go ballistic when a child looks at me with that sweet innocent face and says, "No, I didn't steal that toy from the center (and put it in my backpack to take it home!)." "No, I didn't hit him." "No, I didn't say that." "No, I didn't break that." If they can lie so easily now, and if they get away with it, think what good liars they will be as adults! They might even go into politics.

So don't lie to me.

Comments

[teach5]

Sorry, unrelated. You can delete if you like. I am in real goof mode right now, I did something on wordpress that went and deleted a bunch of my comments on my blog, so your last one won't show up. I like wordpress better than blogspot, but some things just mess me up.