The child may admit to telling a lie, but usually he or she has many reasons for having done so. However, children may continue to lie in order to test adult rules and limits. Children from the ages of 6 to 12 understand what lying is and the moral wrongness of this behavior. By the age of 6 or 7, however, children understand what lying is, but will continue to cheat if able. The lies told by this age group are mostly tales that they have made up, not intentional lies. They might have imaginary playmates at this age and enjoy fairy tales and make-believe play. Children from the ages of 3 to 7 often have problems separating the real world from fantasy. They might also lie to avoid punishment because they understand the consequences but have an undeveloped moral code. This age group does not understand what they are saying and instead are just experimenting with language and new-found facts about the world. Children under the age of 3 don't lie on purpose. When confronted with a child who is lying, it is important to first remember the child's age and developmental stage. Handling the situation when your child is lying Lying and stealing are more common in boys than girls, and happen most often in children ages 5 to 8 years. While some severe forms of these behaviors can indicate a more serious psychological problem, most of the time it is simply a common behavior that will be outgrown. Lying and stealing are common, but inappropriate, behaviors in school-aged children.

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