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True but kids can be mischievous so OP probably should've made at least an attempt at getting proof

Parents are in an impossible situation. Kids do lie and lives have been ruined when kids lied. This babysitter could have been in jail over this kids lies. I wouldn't babysit this kid again either. However, if parents don't believe kids, that can cause issues to. So many kids were abused and were not protected by parents who didn't believe them. It's a no win situation!

I babysat 3 kids down the road. the 3 yr old took a kiddie golf club and started beating her brother so I took it away. she told her mum that I beat her with it. I nearly cried. I asked the brothers to tell what happened and they laughed. the parents said nothing and asked me back a week later.

*over

Can't edit my comment.

This makes a great teaching moment. Make sure your child understands the gravity of what he did and apologize to the babysitter. You should also find out why he lied. Does he want more time with you? Does he not like the babysitter because she enforces rules? A nice reading of The Boy Who Cried Wolf might be in order too. Careers have been ruined this way.

following up on that maybe have your kid (with you) apologize to the babysitter? great teaching moment, she deserves it and maybe she'll agree to correcting her mistakes as well.

Careers and lives, especially if a touching comment is thrown in.

That sounds like a great time to a deserved spanking and real consequences about lying, because a book reading is not going to change the fact the little monster lied. In your eyes teacher teacher the best thing is price the kid for that behavior, that will not help , look around you and see how many poor kid are entitle to do whatever they want for nothing.

lives have been ruined this way unfortunately, not just careers

make a "public" apology, and make sure it's heartfelt and seen, then maybe you'll have a chance

a whole huge generation of cry babies and do gooders.. this is all of the parents. believed there was a beating? how does a 8 year old fake a real ass whooping for being bad itch? should have been clear the kids a spoiled lying shit

My mom's friend's sons would actually start beating themselves and then call social services on her claiming she beats them. Some kids are truly terrible.

If missing out on date night is what you're taking from this then maybe it's a good thing you now need to spend more time with your son.

Of course your first instinct is to protect your kid. But you should do some basic investigating like checking for bruises or taking him to a doctor. Kids can do some cruel stuff to get out of things.

It would depend on the timing of telling. There wouldn't be visible bruising if the kid was telling something from the past.

OP, you were in the right to take your child's allegations seriously. I certainly wouldn't expect a young kid to lie about something this serious. Now that the truth is out, I would look into why your son told this story and take steps to apologize to the sitter.

O.o I hope you don't have mischievous kids because kids can be manipulative psychopaths who don't have enough empathy or knowledge to understand full relocations of their lies. All they see is the immediate benefit to themselves. So yes, kids do lie about serious stuff like abuse!

Sometimes parents need time away from their children, and date night is a good opportunity not only to get a way for a bit, but spend quality time with your significant other. He probably gets enough attention, but he feels they need to be around 24/7 regardless. Kids can be really selfish at times.

Your son made a false accusation of child-abuse to get his way (they usually tell the sitter 'do this or else' when this happens) and your main worry is your date-night?

Your priorities are seriously screwed up.

Making him publicly apologize. He attempted to besmirch someone's name.

This reaction is one of the reasons we have a serious teacher shortage.

Always try to verify. And is this really the first time he's has lied?