6 Most Common Reasons That Teens Lie To Their Parents
Written by Craig Rogers, Posted on , in Section Embracing Our Uniqueness
If you're raising a teen, then you've probably experienced your fair share of lies. Teens are constantly lying to try to keep their parents in the dark about behaviors they wouldn't approve of. This is a list of some of the most common reasons teens will try to lie to their parents.
1 - They're struggling in school
When a teen starts to struggle in school, they will often try to hide it from their parents. There can be a number of reasons for this problem, ranging from learning disorders to truancy. Regardless, you may notice that your teen tries to change the subject when you bring up grades, goes to great lengths to make sure you don't talk to their teachers, and tries to hide any report cards.
2 - They don't want you to know about their substance abuse
Teens will often lie when trying to stop their parents from finding out about drug or alcohol use. They may claim to be spending the night at a friends house when they are in fact going to parties. This can be dangerous, as drug and alcohol abuse can quickly spiral into addiction.
3 - They are spending time with negative peer groups
This often goes hand in hand with the lies a teen tells about substance abuse. Teens will often try to tell their parents they are going over to a different friends house or to a school activity when they are in fact spending time with a negative peer group. Try checking in on your teen when they are out to ensure they are where they claim to be.
4 - They are sexually active
If your teen has become sexually active, they will often tell lies in an attempt to be alone with their partner. It is important for parents to realize when this is taking place as teenage sexual activity can be dangerous for a number of reasons. For example, teens are often not emotionally ready for this type of behavior and will struggle with the repercussions of this choice.
5 - They want to hide their dangerous behaviors
Everyone knows that teens will often act dumb and make poor choices. Unfortunately, teens are smart enough to know their parents will stop them from behaving in this way if they don't lie about it. Teens will come up with elaborate ways to try to mask these behaviors and keep their parents in the dark.
6 - They are afraid of the consequences of being truthful
If a teen doesn't have a good relationship with their parents and is not used to having open lines of communication, they may lie because they fear the consequences of telling the truth. To avoid this, try to make sure that you talk to your teen about important issues and make it clear they can talk to you if they are ever struggling.
