Forum: Always tell children the truth on issues that matter
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A decision on whether or not to lie to a child is one that can be made only by the parents ( Parents lie to kids all the time, but they should think twice first
Parents spend a lot of time teaching children not to lie, that lying is a bad thing, and so they trust that we don’t lie. They believe that we always tell the truth because we are adults and that’s what adults do.
When we lie to them, it breaks down that trust system. But sometimes it’s unavoidable and parents lie for all sorts of reasons.
Parents lie with good intentions. They tell small white lies because they think it’s making their life better.
They lie to avoid a meltdown. “No worries, the pool is not open today. Maybe tomorrow?”
They lie because they don’t think their children are capable of hearing the word “no” and accepting it. Honestly, some children aren’t, but lying to them to avoid that temper tantrum doesn’t help in the long run.
It’s true that some young children thrive on myths and fables. So perhaps parents can give them some magic in the fantasy world with harmless white lies. Tell them stories about the Easter Bunny and Santa.
Go searching for fairies at the bottom of the garden, chase rainbows. Make up your own family tales. Feed children’s creativity on matters of childhood dreams, but always tell the truth on real issues that matter.
Jeffrey Hah
