Many parents are distressed because of the tendency on the part of
young children to tell untruths, "stories" about what they have seen
or heard. This tendency is more marked in some children and occurs
in the younger years before the senses and faculties are thoroughly
under control. There is nothing dangerous about this, it is more often
than not the result of a vivid imagination in which the visualizations
appear real. The fusion of ideas and illusions sometimes cause the
story to be "so awful."
In most cases the child will outgrow this tendency and if carefully
and wisely watched over nothing detrimental will come of it. It is
an indication of a strong imaginative faculty which, if guided and
trained, will later be of immense value to him. Children who have a
tendency to this "story telling" should not be punished for it. They
should be given to understand that these are imaginary stories and
should not be told as the truth. They will, of course, appear real to
the child, but he will gradually learn to distinguish between the real
and the imaginary.
Two children, both with vivid imaginations, were allowed and
encouraged in telling all kinds of imaginary stories, and playing
imaginary games, but were taught to discriminate between these and the
truth by the use of the word "really." If one began to wonder if the
things the other was telling were true and actually happened, he would
ask, "Was it really, sister?" "Oh, no, not really," was the reply, and
the game or story proceeded. In this way the children developed the
faculty and were taught to respect the truth.