to feel despair at the blatant and constant dishonesty of ds1?

[WinkyWinkola]

He's 8.

He will lie about everything from whether he's cleaned his teeth to his homework to his hitting his siblings.

It's unbelievable. I see him hitting them and he denies it outright and will never admit it.

He will never come clean even if he's caught red handed. Deny deny deny.

What to do? I find it repellant when he does his wide eyed innocent denials and then the blubbering starts when he gets punished for his misdemeanour and for lying. Still denying it all.

I actually find it creepy.

This may be a bit way out but lying is also a sign of imagination and intelligence. Maybe you could channel this in some way, thinking drama / storytelling type of thing.

Sure accordion girl.

It doesn't really work like that.

I don't invite him to lie. i tell him I saw him (and stopped him from doing it again) hit the dog/his sister/the baby and that he cannot do that because ..... And then tell him what he has to go without as a result.

He will then go into adamant denial mode despite my having been there when he has done all this.

I don't see how I've invited him to lie? Unless I should just ignore his unacceptable behaviour.

So I've learned it's normal for an 8 year old (relief) and to keep in explaining why it's unacceptable and to focus on his many positives.

A good approach and you've been very reassuring and helpful. Not to me room insightful. Thank you.

Not to mention insightful I mean.

Sounds tricky. I don't really have any advice, but I knew a compulsive liar. He was 18 when I knew him and it was highly frustrating having to spend time with him. He would lie about pointless things which could be easily disproved, as well as more interesting things. Thing is, I think he totally believed the lies. He nearly cried with frustration "but you were there, you saw it" um, no, because you're talking total bull.

OP the thing you said about your DS being totally adamant he is innocent just reminded me of this guy.