Lying

It's been a hard week. I'll start by saying that I really, really hate lying. It makes me so angry. As you can imagine, with 12 kids, there is bound to be some lying taking place. This was one of those weeks when it seemed like more lying than usual. It wasn't really, but it seemed that way.

I was furious with the boys about some lying that took place. None of them would admit to it. We have someone mysterious in our home named "Not Me" and that person seems to be responsible for most everything. Well "Not Me" was at it again, and Mom was pissed.

I went to bed on Monday filled with worry and dread, wondering in my children had no moral compass. One even said he didn't have a conscience. What? Of course, he doesn't know what he's saying, but my natural anxious self dreaded, "Could it be true?" After all, they all lie so easily and about really silly stuff. Stuff that doesn't even matter!

What a difference three days makes. It turns out my boys are really nice kids who do have consciences. Tonight, inspired by a discussion with my son's therapist, I had the chance to talk with each one of them individually. We talked about lying and trust. We talked about how bad you can feel inside when you lie. Each one of them cried and finally admitted their silly lie. We hugged it out and I breathed a sigh of relief. My kids are good. They are loving. They care.

It really is normal for kids to lie. I know I did it. My husband did it. I have heard countless stories about the exploits of my father and his brothers--many involving lying (funny, but a lot of the stories are about my dad lying, not so much his brothers).

Tonight, I had a glimpse of the awesome men my boys can become and how great it is going to be to watch them grow. I'm going to sleep well having seen the demonstration of their ability to tell the truth.