Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
Who, me?
Yes, you!
Not me!
Then who?
Nanny stole the cookies from the cookie jar!
This children’s sing-along song is a fun and light game that has kids accusing other kids and adults of stealing cookies from the cookie jar – an accusation that is fully denied! But what do you do if – in real life – your Nanny and Kid(s) are making conflicting accusations? Who do you believe?
This is a tricky one. You need to treat your Nanny with the respect an adult deserves and recognise that trust is hugely important in your relationship. However, you should also always treat your children with respect and take what they say seriously, particularly if some sort of abuse is involved.
In most instances, the issues at hand are low impact and so you can leave it to them to work through. If the accusations are more serious, you will need to react in an equally serious manner. If it is not obvious who is telling the truth, look for other indications of what is the truth. In extreme cases, you can install nanny cams to get a front row seat to what is really go on.
Kids and Fibs
If it is your kid who is fibbing, it is time to ask why. If your child is very young, he or she most likely does not understand the difference between the truth and what they want to be the truth to be. Older kids tend to tell tales when they want to avoid “getting in trouble”, to avoid parents rules (yes I have done my homework – now can I go out and play?!), or to embellish the truth to impress or fit in with others.
If your kid is lying: Address the issue (although avoid calling your child a liar) and provide proportionate punishment. Seek to understand why your kid is lying and explain how lying rarely works (hard to keep up with the lies, loss of credibility). Provide positive reinforcement (set a good example, praise honesty)
If you are looking for a Nanny to join your family or extra babysitting support, www.SOSsitter.ca is the site for you. Find lots of qualified candidates near you today. Honest!