Coleen advises a reader whose 15-year-old daughter is increasingly economical with the truth. And with the lies mounting, it's hard now to know what to believe...13:16, 07 Jul 2026Dear Coleen,I’m struggling to know what to do about my 15-year-old daughter, who’s constantly lying to me. I’ve allowed her to catch the train into town a few times by herself, as I realise she needs some independence.Last week she told me she was meeting a friend I know from school, but it turned out she was meeting a boy from another school, now her boyfriend!She’s lied numerous times before this – saying she’s meeting one person and it turns out to be another, about what she’s spent money on, about things that have happened at school and I’ve learned the real story from a teacher.I don’t know how to deal with the lying because she never did it when she was younger. Now I don’t know if anything she tells me is the truth. Is this normal for a teenager?‌I’m worried she’s naive about safety and doesn’t seem to understand that not everyone in the world is a good person. It doesn’t help that I read reports about stabbings and attacks all the time in the local press. How can I get the balance right? I feel like I’m failing miserably as a parent at the moment.Coleen says,You’re not failing and lying is very common among teenagers. I had this discussion with a teenage relative of mine, and while she doesn’t lie about big things, she still lies.One of the things I’m trying to get across to her is that you never win by lying and, when you do tell the truth, no one believes you. It’s important to stay calm and reiterate to your daughter that she can tell you anything – however bad or embarrassing. If something happens that upsets her, she needs to know she can come to you. And, if she plans to meet a boy or someone you don’t know, she needs to tell you because it’s all about her safety.‌I remember being a teenager and not telling my parents everything because I knew they’d ground me, so my attitude was: “OK, well I’m not telling you the truth then!” Try to remember what it felt like being that age and explain to your daughter that you know how she’s feeling.It’s tough being a teen because people expect you to be grown-up, while also treating you like a child because, technically, you still are.But also have non-negotiable boundaries and compromise where you can, so she feels she’s being given some freedom. It’s a hard stage, particularly these days when you read so many scary things.`‌Coleen's words of wisdomOne of the most important things in a romantic relationship is to support each other’s dreams and goals in life. Appreciate your differences and give each other the freedom to grow and evolve as individuals.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌