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SS is a pathological liar

EOWinparadise's picture

I apologize for the long post, there is a lot of information.
SS13 is a pathological liar. I don't know how long he has been one, but I have discovered this in the last 6 moths. He lies about his chores, his homework, his brother and sister, things that happen at his mom's house, things that happen at school, soccer, and nothing. He is just constantly lying for attention.
There have been some major instances of dishonesty though. Before he went on winter break at school, he told his friends he had cancer and would not be coming back to school. He said he would be getting schooling at the hospital. We found this out from our nephew who attends the same school. My HD had a talk with him and that was it! Nothing else. I consider that a significant issue and sign of deeper problems, but DH did nothing else. I'm not sure what I would do in that situation either, but it wouldn't be solved with just a talk especially with all the other lying.
Another issue occurred when he was at a department store with my BD and myself. We were looking at bathing suits and he said he wanted to go look at the books so I let him. He came back and told us that a man had run his hand from the top of SS head down his body. Instantly my monkey brain took over and we went back to the area to find this man so I could identify him to the store security when I reported the incident. We had walked all over the store before I realized he was likely full of shit. I questioned him the way I would question a student at work making an accusation against another student or what not. At this moment it became very apparent that he made the whole thing up. I then responded by saying that since we couldn't find him we should call the police so they can come down and interview SS to find the guy. I pull out my phone and instantly SS is backtracking on everything he originally said happened. I was furious and so we left. DH gave him another talking to when we got home and that was it. I told SS he would not be allowed to go in public with me anymore.
I believe he is also a thief. He was staying at my SIL's after school each day until BM gets off work. BM lives far away and gets off work late. Originally she wanted him to walk to our house after school, but I said no to that. At the time that was brought up was when I began to discover what a liar he is and told DH that he could not be trusted here alone each day. Well, he proved that right because he ended up stealing clothing from his own cousin who saw him wearing it in a pic on social media. He got busted, had to give the clothing back and apologize, and is no longer allowed to go to SIL's after school. Other things have gone missing from or house as well. Money, my BD's school supplies, supplies from my work stuff (I'm a teacher), and a few of my DH's watches. Those I cannot prove, but I'm very certain SS is the culprit.
I don't know how to handle this. I've talked to DH about it, but it seems like he sees it as too shameful for him to really handle it. I'm at the point where I just don't want the kid around. Everything that comes out of his mouth is likely untrue. My BD15 is really good at calling him out instantly. He says something she thinks is a lie and she says it. "You're lying." "Why are you lying?" "Why do you need to lie to talk to other people?" "Don't talk to me until you figured out what is real and what is a lie because I don't like being lied to." For me, I find it a little more difficult to be that direct. My daughter will say it when she doesn't even have any proof that he's lying, but she says she can tell because of his eyes and facial expressions, and then by his response to her. Most of his everyday lies are just bullshit. Just things made up to have something to talk about, nothing that hurts or what not, but those are the hardest to confront. What have any of you done in this kind of situation? What is your advice for dealing with this?

MissDirected's picture

Gosh, I really wish I had some words of wisdom on this subject because what you're going through really sucks! But, unfortunately, I'm at a loss. My SO always says my SD14 CANNOT lie because she can't take the guilt and always tells on herself & says " I promise my heart". However, I know she's totally playing him. She admits to the stuff she knows she's not going to get in trouble for and makes herself look innocent. But I've caught her in countless lies (including a nasty one she told her dad & grandma about ME!). But sadly, you can't tell my SO anything bad about his little innocent princess.

EOWinparadise's picture

This is a hard one,, I know. Most of his lies are bullshit and could never be proven wrong or right. "I saw .... at my mom's." "One time, a long time ago, I ..." "A kid at school told me that ..." It is not my job to teach him right from wrong. I do not participate in parenting my skids. They have a mother. I'm disengaged and have always been really. However, I don't like liars, most people don't. I'm also a fairly blunt and assertive person. If I feel I'm being bullshitted I say something. I can't prove most of his lies are lies and that is the hard part. The big stuff, like the day at the department store, I had no problem putting him in his place and saying everything he needed to hear. DH handled the discipline, but I let him have it because of how far that lie almost went (store security, confronting someone, etc...). I just wish I could ignore him when he talks and not have what he is saying bother me at all.

EOWinparadise's picture

I feel the exact same way. Getting attention from his peers through a lie like that is deserving of something more than a talk.

Notacelebration's picture

SD 17 is a pathological liar also. DH buys every word of it. I do not participate in parenting her since disengaging.
SD knows her dad won't call her out on any lies, because he doesn't want to upset her. He lets it go, and she just keeps lying.
DH is not parenting SD...he's keeping her happy, so she doesn't bother him with her crying and baby tantrums.
He's not doing her any favors, but it's easier for him.

bonus_mom757's picture

My 14 yr old SS is recently started this lying trip as well, most of it is encouraged by his BM. She has asked him to lie several times and when busted he acts like it's not a big deal. He is also claiming he is sick, stomach pains, headaches wanting attention, because BM babies him, he excepts the same at our house, but doesn't want to spend time with us, then lies about going to his mothers house. Mom is a liar, sister is a liar, he is useless, I don't even want to talk to him anymore. DH disengages himself from his own son and does nothing about it, just yells then feels bad for yelling then wants to baby him. It ridiculous!!

EOWinparadise's picture

My SS plays both sides of the fence. Tells my DH and I how much he hates living at his moms and then says the same thing to BM about living with us. He has learned to work the system to keep from getting in a lot of trouble because neither parent wants him to choose the other. It's manipulative and disgusting. I say good riddance! Go live with BM! My DH can't stand his own son either so I don't know why he doesn't just force him to live at BM's so he can stop manipulating everyone.

bibleofdreams's picture

You know I actually have a pretty good track record w my SD with her lying. She doesn't lie to me because she knows I will see right through it and will say something about it immediately and she eventually stopped wanting to be confronted so she just tells the truth and it made things a lot better. I do have a reputation for being mean though in most parts of my life so I don't know if everyone can do it or not. Its basically a cross examination (though much more polite of course). First you repeat the lie and ask if the information is correct. it gives them a chance to bail. then if the stick to their guns you can point out a problem with their story.

the most common one with my SD was that she would lie and say that she really DID turn in her homework.

I would point out that if she turned in her homework, which her teacher subsequently lost, and then gave her a failing grade, she would likely be upset at the teacher. I would usually say "you don't even believe you." The important thing is to figure out one really critical, crucial thing that doesn't make sense and stick to that. I could have argued about having to call the teacher tomorrow or if she put her name on it or a million other distractions but I stuck to the one thing that really made it seem unlikely. I was a terribly dishonest teen myself so that probably helps me catch her

EOWinparadise's picture

I try to avoid even hearing him speak because overtime his mouth opens, another lie falls out. I leave all the disciplining to DH because his skids are his concern, not mine. However, the problem is when I hear it, or when he tries to talk to me. They are all just lies. Not even lies to get him out of trouble or anything like that (although he speaks a great deal of those), but lies to just have things to talk about. Seriously, just general conversation pieces. I hate it. I typically nod or give a one-word reply and find some way to get away from him before I explode and call him a lying little shit.