How concerning is this for a 10 year old boy? Video game addiction and pathological lying

[Anonymous]

I was a really good kid but after watching ET, I tried to fake sick just like Elliott in the movie did. I held the thermometer up to the lightbulb and it worked! I laid around and watched TV all day. I did it more than once too! Believe it or not, I am a completely normal functioning member of society now. OP- stop being so dramatic. The kid is testing limits. He isn't one step into prison.

[Anonymous]

I think he is fine and behaving completely normally. I think you are crazy and a jerk for judging your own nephew so harshly.

He's pretending to be sick when his parents are away? He apparently did his homework without fuss? He is talking to his friends about how to get away with stuff? This is light mischief.

If you're not to sore from patting yourself on the back for raising your perfect daughters, please get some perspective.

[Anonymous]

This is kid behavior, not "extremely concerning." First, a group of boys figuring out Ferris Bueller's secret plan to miss school is not "extremely concerning." It's pretty normal shenanigans.

Second, you have an awesome, enticing theater room that makes a video game feel larger than life. This is exciting stuff! The kid is not at his own home. His parents are gone, so he's not really himself.

Yes, you should call his bluff, send him to school unless he has a fever or vomits, and enforce his parents 30 minute rule. He can protest as kids do; he'll stop if you hold the line in a rational adult manner.

This is all very normal behavior under the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No big deal that a video game addiction turns a sweet little boy into an unhinged liar, so says the DCUM moms. The gaming machine should be tossed in the pool if it turns your child into a monster.

That is not what is happening here and only a psycho would see it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal behavior. My kids say they are sick all the time to try and get more screen time, but you have to hold fast to the rules! Kids test boundaries at this age, it’s normal and expected. They aren’t monsters, and are probably missing their parents and normal routine as well. Relax on the dramatic language.

Faking a flu-like illness and then faking a sports injury with elaborate lying is normal at age 10?

“Elaborate” lying? You mean, saying he is sick?

And yes. It was when I was a kid and it is now. With boys and girls. This is a common problem, not a dramatic one.

At least he had a reason. My older sister would lie about being sick at that age just to sleep in. School was boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Normal behavior. My kids say they are sick all the time to try and get more screen time, but you have to hold fast to the rules! Kids test boundaries at this age, it’s normal and expected. They aren’t monsters, and are probably missing their parents and normal routine as well. Relax on the dramatic language.

Faking a flu-like illness and then faking a sports injury with elaborate lying is normal at age 10?

“Elaborate” lying? You mean, saying he is sick?

And yes. It was when I was a kid and it is now. With boys and girls. This is a common problem, not a dramatic one.

In addition to faking the flu, he faked a sports injury to try and get out of practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have teen daughters, so we have never encountered this before. We have been watching our teen niece and 10-year-old nephew this week with my bil and sil on a trip.

Niece has been totally fine. Nephew, who I thought was the sweetest and kindest boy ever, has shown a disturbing side of him. The first day I picked him up from school he complained that he wasn't feeling well. He said he didn't feel like he should go to his sports practice at 5 p.m. We go to our house for a snack before practice and he beelines for our theater room. I catch him in there playing video games. Sick, huh? His parents claim he's only allowed to play 30 minutes total per school day.

I made him turn off the game after 20 or so minutes so we could leave for practice. He was raging mad in the car. Again, he's only 10 years old. After practice he continues with the sick routine in the car to our house.

That night he finishes his homework beelines to play video games again. I can hear the friends (?) he's playing with discussing their vivid strategies to lie to their parents to pretend they're sick or injured so they can stay home and play video games all day!

The next morning he lays it on super thick that he's nauseous and pretends he can't breakfast because eat he's so sick. Lying to my face to coerce me into letting him stay home all day (so he could play video games).

This is extremely concerning behavior, right?[/quote]

Np No, it is not "extremely concerning behavior" To me, torturing animals is extreme behavior! This is a kid who likes to play video games and is being highly controlled and most likely forced to do things he does not want to do ( ie sports)

Are you telling me that you have never tried to get out of doing something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you piling on your nephew, OP? You are being a bully. You're his aunt. He can tell that you do not like him at all. Kids know. Stop being a jerk.

I don’t tolerate pathological lying. It’s really hurtful and so alarming. This isn’t a 17 year old lying about curfew it’s a little boy with elaborate lies to not go to school or sports to play a video game.

Is it pathological? I don't think it is. Everyone lies and I'm sure you do too. You lie to protect yourself ( of course I mailed the check!) or I didn't eat the last piece of candy! We are talking about kids not killers. Calm the f down. Op isn't even the mom/dad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you are a terrible aunt. Do your best for the boy and keep him off video games but no need to call him a pathological liar.

+1.

And don't agree to host kids without parents next time. You are not fit.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you piling on your nephew, OP? You are being a bully. You're his aunt. He can tell that you do not like him at all. Kids know. Stop being a jerk.

I don’t tolerate pathological lying. It’s really hurtful and so alarming. This isn’t a 17 year old lying about curfew it’s a little boy with elaborate lies to not go to school or sports to play a video game.

Is it pathological? I don't think it is. Everyone lies and I'm sure you do too. You lie to protect yourself ( of course I mailed the check!) or I didn't eat the last piece of candy! We are talking about kids not killers. Calm the f down. Op isn't even the mom/dad!

I'm the pp and I found this article. Seems that there is disagreement.

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/why-do-children-lie-normal-compulsive-pathological-lying-in-kids-0107197

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you are a terrible aunt. Do your best for the boy and keep him off video games but no need to call him a pathological liar.

+1.

And don't agree to host kids without parents next time. You are not fit.

+1,000

+ a million. I can't tell you how hurt and angry I would be if this were my child. His parents trusted you to care for him in every way, and that includes having empathy, patience, and understanding while he is without his parents.

Please tell them how vile you found your nephew so that they never, ever leave him in your care again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you piling on your nephew, OP? You are being a bully. You're his aunt. He can tell that you do not like him at all. Kids know. Stop being a jerk.

I don’t tolerate pathological lying. It’s really hurtful and so alarming. This isn’t a 17 year old lying about curfew it’s a little boy with elaborate lies to not go to school or sports to play a video game.

Is it pathological? I don't think it is. Everyone lies and I'm sure you do too. You lie to protect yourself ( of course I mailed the check!) or I didn't eat the last piece of candy! We are talking about kids not killers. Calm the f down. Op isn't even the mom/dad!

I'm the pp and I found this article. Seems that there is disagreement.

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/why-do-children-lie-normal-compulsive-pathological-lying-in-kids-0107197

This article is talking about one's own child. Not a kid who is not yours at your house for a few days while his parents are away.

My kids are really well behaved and I believe that to be the luck of the draw. I would love to (and do) host my younger, rowdy nephew, come what may... and I would never diagnose him and raise red flags for this behavior, especially, when his diet, sleep, routine, etc is off. It's just so ungracious and gross.

[Anonymous]

An elementary school boy casually lying to adults is not normal or acceptable behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An elementary school boy casually lying to adults is not normal or acceptable behavior.

Can you knock it off OP? You can keep repeating the same nonsense over and over, but it doesn’t change reality. This little boy is normal. You’re the one with the problem.

I don’t know what you want from this discussion. Did you want a bunch of strangers to validate you? What the heck is wrong with you? I would call child protective services on you if only I could. You are a nut job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you piling on your nephew, OP? You are being a bully. You're his aunt. He can tell that you do not like him at all. Kids know. Stop being a jerk.

I don’t tolerate pathological lying. It’s really hurtful and so alarming. This isn’t a 17 year old lying about curfew it’s a little boy with elaborate lies to not go to school or sports to play a video game.

Is it pathological? I don't think it is. Everyone lies and I'm sure you do too. You lie to protect yourself ( of course I mailed the check!) or I didn't eat the last piece of candy! We are talking about kids not killers. Calm the f down. Op isn't even the mom/dad!

I'm the pp and I found this article. Seems that there is disagreement.

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/why-do-children-lie-normal-compulsive-pathological-lying-in-kids-0107197

This article is talking about one's own child. Not a kid who is not yours at your house for a few days while his parents are away.

My kids are really well behaved and I believe that to be the luck of the draw. I would love to (and do) host my younger, rowdy nephew, come what may... and I would never diagnose him and raise red flags for this behavior, especially, when his diet, sleep, routine, etc is off. It's just so ungracious and gross.

Why the eye roll? So it is specific to this case but still interesting is it not?