Lying Child

Help them understand what a lie is and why they won't be believed when it's important because of telling lies. I'd have to find some kind of discipline for doing it, whatever will help your child relate it to being wrong.

It is hard but the child has to learn that the consequences of lying are far worse than the thing they were trying to cover up by lying. Once they admit to lying and what they were trying to cover up, you need to help them see that the understand why you need to set some form of punishment. And also that they are being punished for lying as well as for whatever they did wrong. Good luck.

I get more upset about the lie than I do about what he was trying to avoid. I would consequence him more for that

I think that giving a child a bit of a free pass, or a lesser punishment, for coming clean when you know they're lying, would be helpful. Then they learn that bad things happen, but lying only makes it worse. Way worse, than fessing up and addressing the situation. Also, being logical with them. Once they've confessed, having them help you decide how everything will be resolved. Explain why it's bad to lie (it's hurtful, it means that you can't be trusted, etc).