Being Truthful!!

As a parent, I so want my children to grow up with strong Christian values, but do I let this get in the way of understanding where they are developmentally? In the past, when my six year old would lie, it would really upset me to the point where I would overreact in my discipline. Then I would feel really guilty when I would read that it is perfectly normal for children at her age to lie and that they grow out of it. Especially younger children who struggle between fantasy and reality. A couple of days ago, my four year old lied to me, but later came and confessed. She said, I thought that "God might be mad at me, so I thought that I better tell you the truth." I want the kids to develop a healthy "fear" of the Lord, but I don't want them to feel guilty or to fear God in an unhealthy way. Also, moral development comes with time, so with healthy discipline,parental role models, and God's guidance children will learn proper behavior. I think that when I overreact, it is out of fear- I need to put my trust in the Lord!

Blessings,