The problem: My child exaggerates accomplishments.
Praise actual accomplishments.
Do:
- Show your child that you love and appreciate them just as they are and praise their real accomplishments.
- Realize that children who boast may feel insecure and seek approval.
- Work on boosting your child’s confidence.
- Explain that exaggerating can be seen as a type of lying.
Don’t ridicule or embarrass your child.
Don’t: If you catch your child exaggerating about something, don’t call them out in public. Wait until you’re alone to talk about it. Start by asking your child about what they said and try to find out why they said it. Stay curious rather than judgmental. You can talk about the importance of being honest and also the beauty of being humble, as well as the consequences of making up stories.
Say
“I will always love you, even if you didn’t score 30 points in the game today.”
Don’t say
“That’s impossible! You know there’s no way you could have done that.”
Why this approach to a child exaggerating works
Kids who exaggerate may lack confidence and feel the need to prove themselves. They may brag as a way of finding out whether they’re valued. Ridiculing your child may further sink their already deflated self-esteem.
Check out The ultimate guide to social-emotional learning for parents. In our guide, you can see all the aspects of SEL that we cover — from nurturing self-awareness and self-control to building resilience, motivation, and purpose.
