DD1 caught telling a horrific lie....

[desperatelyseekingcruising]

DD1 is 10. I found out that she'd told some of her friends at a party that her five year old cousin had died of cancer.

She doesn't have a five year old cousin.

I am mortified. I don't even know where to start! She initially tried lying her way out of it, but lied herself into a corner and now says she doesn't know why she lied.

A child in the playpark (who I'd never met before) announced to me that his dad had died when he was born. His mum was sitting on the next bench and told me dad was very much alive and well...

No useful advice but just thought I'd mention it as your daughter is obviously not the only one!

I suspect it was for attention.

She’s old enough to talk this through, explain why it’s so dreadful
and discuss why she felt the need to get attention this way.

I’d also be a little worried about what other dibs she might have told in the past.

I wouldn’t punish but I’d be explaining zero tolerance on lying from now on.

Dibs from kids isn’t unusual but this is quite a big lie. I’d be talking to her about why looking after your reputation for honesty is so important. Integrity once lost is hard to regain.

Thank you both. We have had a long talk about reputation, particularly as she'll be in a local secondary school next year, and how it wouldn't be a nice thing to be known for.

It's also reassuring that you say no punishment, I too feel this way. I think it's more important that she knows how freaking awful it is to say something like that in the first place, rather than for her to be worried abut being caught the next time.

I'm just honestly at a loss as to why she would say something like that. She's honestly a good kid. I'm wondering if she's been watching too much youtube...