Making your child into an Accomplished Liar

A primary rule for parents when dealing with lying is don't badger or corner children! Imagine you give a child the third degree about whether or not she has homework.

She denies it six times and finally, after your seventh question, she admits that, Yes, she has some.

What has happened?

By this time, of course, you are furious. More important, however, you also have given your child six times to practice lying!

You may think to yourself, "Sooner or later she'll realize she can't fool me and she'll give up." Wrong. Many children will continue to take the easy way out: they will simply attempt to avoid any confrontation with you and become better liars.

Either You Know the Truth or You Don’t
Look at it this way: you either know the truth or you don't. If you don't know what is going on, ask once and don't badger.

It's a good idea here not to ask "impulsively”.

Many kids simply respond back impulsively. They lie, but their real desire is just to end the conversation, get rid of you, and avoid trouble.

If you are going to ask, you might say something like, "I want you to tell me the story of what happened, but not right now. Think about it a while and we'll talk in fifteen minutes."

If she tells you the story and you find out later that the child lied, punish her for whatever the offense was as well as for the lie. No lectures or tantrums from you.

Deal with the problem and try to fix things, as best you can, so that lying does not seem necessary to the child.

If you do know what has happened, tell her what you know and deal with it. If she has done something wrong that you know about, simply punish her reasonably for that and end the conversation with, "I'm sure you'll do better next time."

Keep Your Perspective
Some parents still prefer to ask a child what happened, even when they already know what it was. This is OK if you do it right.

You should say something like, "I got a call from the school today about an incident at lunch. I'm going to ask you to tell me the story, but not right now. I want you to think about it for a while, and then when you're ready you can tell me, but remember I already pretty much know what happened."

Lying is not good, but it certainly isn't the end of the world either. It happens from time to time. It doesn't mean that your kids don't love you or that they are bound to grow up to become professional criminals.

However, over time, frequent emotional overreactions on your part, combined with badgering and cornering, can produce a very Accomplished Liar.

Dyslexia in Children: Mobile Apps Make Reading Fun

A recent study claims that Mobile apps and daily visual activities can encourage children with dyslexia to participate in reading exercises, says Lenin Grajo Ed.M., instructor of occupational science and occupational therapy at Saint Louis University.

"Reading has always been looked at as a skill you should be able to master," Grajo said.

"My approach basically focuses on participation. I look at how much you like doing a task rather than how well you can do it."

Dyslexia is a learning disability, in which children have a neurological disorder that causes their brain to process and interpret information differently.

But with the help of educators and therapists, kids with dyslexia can develop and enjoy reading and writing activities, and build confidence.

Children with dyslexia usually dislike highly-structured reading tasks, and therefore avoid taking part in reading activities.

But with the latest technological innovations, kids with dyslexia have started using tablet and smartphone apps that make reading and writing more fun.

"This is the multisensory approach that makes books very interactive," said Grajo, who got his training in assessment of dyslexia and reading difficulties at Harvard University.

"If you ask a child with dyslexia to read a book, they will say they can't. But through these apps, children actually like doing these reading activities."

Some of these interactive books have a built-in camera and recorder that engage kids. These apps play a big role in developing a child's reading, writing, spelling, studying and organizing skills, which eventually increases their self-confidence in the classroom, Grajo says.

Grajo says that parents and teachers should also incorporate arts and crafts into routine activities as kids with dyslexia are often instantly attracted to them. Instead of asking a child to read a book, he suggests involving them in a playful activity that includes lots of visuals as well as some reading and writing.

For example, parents can create a treasure hunt for their children and ask them to read the clues to find the hidden items.

Another way to encourage children to read is to cook with them. Parents can read the recipes with the kids and make cooking a fun process.

"Through these exercises, the child is reading without realizing it. This is the occupational performance approach to dyslexia," Grajo said.

"When you realize you enjoy doing something, you participate in it more and become better with it."

The apps and routine activities form a strong foundation for dyslexic children, which enable them to develop their own strategies to read and write as they begin to like these activities.

"Once they are confident, they feel they can do these tasks without the help of a parent or teacher," said Grajo. "As therapists, we are empowering and enabling them to be able to do what they couldn't do earlier."