Give children a platform not only to speak but to be heard too because most children who grew up in families where they felt like their voice didn’t matter, coupled with a lack of attention, mostly discover that “lying” yields them a sort of power, voice and attention they regularly don’t receive.

This new-found power will seduce them down a path of destruction. Thus, they are much more likely to grow into adults who are pathological liars; to feed their wounded inner child attention, power and a voice that makes people want to listen.

This becomes particularly dangerous when the now adult with a wounded inner child discovers the ability to weaponise “lies” against people they don’t like, have some sort of low level conflict with, or to yank individuals they may be jealous of out of position. The only tool they know is lying, and lying is the only way they know how to matter.

There is a lesson here: be mindful to hold space for the voices of children. Show positive and a reasonable amount of attention to your children. Failing to do so releases monsters of society into the marketplace.

 Consolation Mathebula Rolle, Bushbuckridge