DD is almost 7, very verbal and has a good imagination. Over the past few weeks she has started telling small and easily spotted fibs.
I mildly told her off tonight about something, and she immediately launched into a convincing story about children being mean to her at school. At first, I wondered if she was simply trying to distract me from telling her off. But her story was very elaborate and detailed. I was concerned, asked questions/made sympathetic noises/gave advice and encouragement. I also wondered if some of the low level bullying she experienced at the start of the school year was returning.
She ended with a separate story about a boy at school, which again was very detailed. I asked questions, told her how she should handle the situation should it arise again, and wondered aloud if I should have a word with the teacher and/or his parents. She asked me not to several times, as she 'didn't want him to feel bad'. She kept saying she didn't want the boy to 'get into trouble because it would make him sad' even though I kept reassuring her that she had done nothing wrong in the situation as she described it, and if he got into trouble, it was a logical consequence of the behaviour. She kept insisting that I not say anything to anyone.
Eventually something made me ask if she was telling the truth, and she admitted she wasn't. I gave her a talk about trust and the importance of telling the truth. I also calmly and seriously told her I was surprised at her fibs, and felt disapointed in her. We had a brief cuddle, and said goodnight. Ten minutes later, she was downstairs and asked me not to say anything to the teacher about the children being mean to her at school, as that story was a fabrication too (though this did happen at the start of the school year). I just said 'you must be truthful', and told her goodnight again.
Is this a normal phase? How should I have handled it? Do I say anything tomorrow? Eliminate some 'treats' as punishment, or threaten to if it happens again? Tonight's fibs were multi-layered (vivid imagination at play?), and not so easy to identify. It feels to me that this needs to be nipped in the bud. I honestly don't know how to handle, and would appreciate advice.