Editable Lying Social Story: Telling the Truth

What is included

• •One illustrated social story about lying and telling the truth when something goes wrong
• •A gentle wording that describes far more than it instructs, and a firmer direct wording
• •Four child looks: a boy or a girl, with light or dark skin
• •Half-page booklets in wide and tall pages, in US Letter and A4
• •Blank write-in booklets in US Letter and A4, for the stories only you can write
• •A guide with a printed link and QR code for each wording that opens your copy in the free Social Story Maker

What the lying social story says

The gentle wording is eight pages long, one picture and one short sentence on each page, told in the child's own voice. The first two pages read:

The pages after that cover:

• the worry about being in trouble, and wanting to say "I didn't do it"
• what a lie is, in plain words
• taking a deep breath and telling a grown-up what happened
• why a grown-up wants the truth, and how mistakes can be fixed
• helping to fix it, like wiping up a spill
• how telling the truth helps people believe the child

The direct wording says the same things in seven pages, with the expectation stated plainly.

When to read a lying social story

Read it at a calm time, not in the middle of a "who did this?" moment: a quiet morning, or a day when nothing has gone wrong. Read it again before situations where mistakes are likely, like a new art project or a busy playdate, and once more after your child told you the truth, so the story is tied to a real success.

How to read the lying social story with your child

1. Start with the gentle wording; switch to the direct one if your child does best with a plain rule.
2. Print the child look that matches your child, and write their name on the cover.
3. Read one page at a time, pointing to the picture before you read the sentence.
4. Act out the spill page with an empty cup: your child tells you what happened, and you fix it together.
5. When your child tells you the truth, thank them first, before you talk about the mistake.

Lying social story questions

What is a lying social story?

A lying social story is a short illustrated story, in the approach developed by Carol Gray, about telling the truth when something goes wrong. It names the worried feeling, explains what a lie is in plain words, and shows telling a grown-up and helping fix the mistake, so honesty feels safe and familiar.

Does the story call my child a liar?

No. The word lie appears once in each wording, defined plainly as saying something that did not really happen. The story never calls the child a liar. Its pages are about the worry behind the moment, telling a grown-up what happened, and helping fix it.

What is the difference between the gentle and the direct wording?

The gentle wording mostly describes what happens and how it feels, with two coaching sentences. The direct wording states the expectation plainly: I tell the truth, I say what really happened. Both come in this lying social story, so you can pick the one that fits your child.

Can I personalize the story?

Yes. The guide prints a link and a QR code for each wording that opens the story in the free Social Story Maker. You can add your child's name, change the spilled cup to the mistake that comes up most at home, and change any sentence.

What formats and paper sizes are included?

One ZIP with print-ready PDFs in US Letter and A4: the story in four child looks, each in wide and tall booklet pages and in both wordings, plus blank write-in booklets and the guide. Print at actual size, cut each sheet in half along the dashed line, stack the pages in order and staple the left edge.

How do I receive the files, and can I use them with my whole class?

Delivery is instant: checkout unlocks the download and emails you the link, and the pack stays in your My Resources library. It is licensed for personal and single-classroom use. Because it is a digital download, all sales are final; if a file will not open, email info@spectrumunlocked.com and Spectrum Unlocked will fix it.