Fibbing

[mamaof4]

while story telling may be a typical part of childhood development in 2-3 year olds, when does it become an issue? What can be done?

[playfelt]

There was actually a very good article in the Ottawa Citizen on that topic this weekend and basically it said that because 3 year olds still live in a world that is part reality part fantasy that they do not comprehend the concept of lying the way an adult interprets it. A lie to them is simply using their imagination to give an option of what happened. Could be part of the reason you get a blank I don't know look when you ask what happened.

For me it becomes an issue when the stories are told to get friends in trouble as in blame someone else because that takes imagination too far. At the same time that doesn't mean that a deed goes unpunished just that I don't pay a lot of attention to the stories. It becomes a case of dealing with facts. The rule was violated, the vase was broken, the friend was hurt. That is what you deal with not what the child said about it. In a way it is used as a chance to teach the difference between fantasy and reality.

[mom-in-alberta]

From 3 and up, I will start to differentiate between an "imagination story" and a "really happened" story. I will hear about how the dragon came over for dinner last night and had a sleepover but had to go to the castle again, and just say "What a great imagination story that is!!".
I agree with playfelt in that it's a non-issue really until it becomes a way to get out of trouble, or to get others INTO trouble. Then we discuss the importance of telling things the way they really happen.