Day 29 – Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

posted by Momo Fali on November 29, 2012

My ten year old son has always suffered with developmental delays; you name it, he did it late. He pretty much survived off of baby food until he was four. ‘Nuff said.

Lately he’s been lying a lot. Actually, “a lot” doesn’t do it justice. Even though we have a rule in our house that you won’t get in trouble as long as you are honest, he has been tossing untruths around like they have wings. I am hoping this is a developmentally-delayed phase and not something we’ll have to deal with much longer.

I should stress that these lies are usually about nothing. Like, absolutely nothing. For instance:

Me: What was that noise?

Him: Well, I think I heard something…

Me: Just tell me the truth. What was the noise?

Him: Okay. I bounced a ball.

I finally grew completely weary of his games last night and he is entering his second full day of no video games, computer or television. As we sat at the dinner table I explained that we will tolerate a lot in this house, but dishonesty is not one of them; then I detailed his punishment.

When I finished I gave him a good, hard glare as if to ask, “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?”

And, he understood exactly what I was saying with that look because he replied, “I think it would be easier if I just went to live with a family of liars.”

    Comments

  • Jenny from Mommin' It Up


    Your kid always trumps mine in the funny department! And it IS a competition! Dangit!

  • Casey


    Sorry, but he wins.

    BEST RESPONSE EVER.

  • tara


    Haha hilarious! I don’t have kids so I’m probably wrong, but I really want you to give him a taste of his own medicine.

    Examples: school is on Saturday this week also, the hot water isn’t working, that noise you heard was most likely Freddy Kreuger.

    I don’t know, the possibilities are endless…

  • BusyDad


    I asked Fury the other morning to shower and he said he already did. I said, “why do you still have bedhead?” He said, “because I woke up really early, showered, and then went back to bed.” Man, at 5, I’d laugh so hard. At 10? He’s just being a dick.

    • tara


      Hahah that is hilarious. Damn, that’s a smart answer.

    • Zak


      Zoe does this in regards to brushing her teeth! Why lie about brushing your teeth?! There are no winners in this scenario.

  • Jamie@southmainmuse


    That was probably the best blog post ever. What timing. You might have a stand-up comedian waiting in the wings. And I went through a horrible lying stage as a child. I think I was over compensating for what I thought was a plain Jane existence. It sounds like your son is just doing it for a reaction. Funny.

  • Shannon


    I believe that your son may someday rule the world.

  • Melisa


    I love him.

    Maybe you should start lying.

  • Patty


    I guess that is another option. 🙂

  • Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]


    For once, he was honest.

  • Arnebya


    Give him a break, damn. He was honest with that one.

  • Diane Tarantini


    As the mother of a liar, I LOVED this post. Our now 17-year-old girl child liar now manipulates truth using omission of facts rather than changing of them. It’s good and bad, when they get smarter.

  • stephanie (bad mom)


    I want him to write a story about this family of liars. He should have some time on his hands for awhile, right?

  • Vicki (Go Mama Go)


    OMG! Hilarious. Boys crack me up.

  • Mama D


    I have one of those too, but I get lies of omission. I’ve learned to ask what he isn’t telling me!!

  • Zak


    He just makes me laugh, he does. 🙂

  • ElaineR.N.


    So funny – his comment of course. Were you able to contain your laugh??

  • Tara R.


    He really cuts to the heart of it. You can’t argue with his logic.

  • meleahrebeccah


    I would un-punish him just for that reply!