Some Of The Many Lies We Tell Our Children

There are no acceptable lies. There is no one who has not told a lie. To lie to someone whose world revolves around you is failing that person. Every child’s life revolves around their caretakers (mothers, father, aunts, uncles, grandparents, guardians, etc.). There is no caretaker who has not lied to the child(ren) that they are entrusted with.

There are lies that we consider little and lies that we consider big and still other that we count as inconsequential.

Some of those little lies (that I tell my children) include:

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on vacation. You will have to choose a different show to watch.
• We are all out of juice, you will have to drink milk.
• That is chicken, I swear.
• Your plate won’t let me put ranch, ketchup, mustard and barbeque sauce on it all at once.
• If you don’t stop it I am going to spank you.

Some of the lies that I believe some parents consider either big or inconsequential include:

• Santa Clause is watching you so you better be good or you will get a lump of coal in your stocking.
• That gift is from Santa Clause.
• Santa Clause/The Easter bunny/The tooth fairy/etc. is real.
• If you keep making that face it will get stuck like that.

There are countless others in our daily life. My wife and I try hard not top lie to our daughter, but it is extremely difficult. She is very inquisitive and sometimes the true answer is not fit for a two-year old’s mind. A lie is a disservice to the child(ren).

Religion is not a lie. Telling someone that it is absolute is. Scientific and religious theory is not true because there is not sufficient evidence to make it so. Faith is truth because by definition is cannot be proved.

Your children are your own and you have the right to tell them and teach them what you wish, but just know that you are usually doing them a disservice not letting them know what is out in the world. The world will not be so nice in its lessons.

Related articles

• My Guardian Angel (rhodesjennifer.wordpress.com)
• The Tales We Tell (ctworkingmoms.com)
• Do You Lie To Your Kids? (yamaamaa.com)