Previews for The Truth About Children Who Lie

In a thought-provoking programme, psychotherapist Philippa Perry investigates why children lie


 

David Hepworth previews The Truth About Children Who Lie in The Guardian 19/07/2016


“Why do children lie?” asks psychotherapist Philippa Perry in The Truth About Children Who Lie (Tuesday, 4pm, Radio 4). It’s not a question that’s ever occurred to me before. I always thought of lying as one of those human activities that comes soon after learning to speak. Apparently, it’s a lot more complicated than that. It turns out TV soaps may be normalising lying, and in their insistence on truth-telling parents may be putting children in situations where they feel compelled to lie.

 

Pick of The Day in The Observer’s New Review 21/08/2016


In a thought-provoking programme, psychotherapist Philippa Perry investigates why children lie, identifying reasons such as trying to save their skins, please grownups, gain attention or simply indulge in some fantasising. She also suspects that there are sometimes emotional truths within children’s lies. Parents in the West give mixed messages about lying but she uncovers research showing that a very punitive attitude makes children lie even more.

 

Pick of The Day In The Telegraph 19/08/2016


The first time a child tells a lie is often seen as a sad moment. But might it actually be a cause for celebration? Psychotherapist Philippa Perry presents an illumination and lively documentary on the subject, which blends psychology and interviews with children, parents and teachers about why young people lie and what it says about their intellectual development.

 

The Independent previews The Truth About Children Who Lie 21/08/2016


Strict parenting can turn children into adept liars as they do not feel safe telling the truth, experts have claimed.
Psychotherapist Philippa Perry said a child should not be solely to blame for lying, but that the parenting style could have a big impact on their ability and readiness to fib. “We do our kids no favours at all when we persecute them for lying. We can be curious about the lie we can be interested in it and look at our part in it. But being draconian and rigid about it is not going to make a situation better.”