Parents Online Reveal 30 Little Lies They Tell Their Kids That They’re Considering Parenting Hacks
While it’s easy to judge parents for all of the wrongs they do when it comes to making their kids behave, it’s once you become a parent yourself that you understand that there’s a spectrum of what’s actually wrong and what’s still kinda sorta OK because otherwise you’d crack under the pressure of parenting.
One of the many things that most parents resort to, though still with a certain degree of caution, is white lies, which are, if anything, cute and kind of a long-term investment that will end in laughs in the future.
Image credits: Louisa Mac (not the actual photo)
A tweeter by the handle of @Lhlodder shared one such lie that her friend uses to make her kids buckle up for the car ride, saying that the car won’t start unless they are all wearing seat belts. This inspired others to share their white lies, whether they're the ones duping or the ones who were duped.
Bored Panda has collected the best of the best tweets from the thread and created a neat little curated list for y’all to enjoy, so go vote and comment on them. And while you’re at it, share some of your cutesy white lies in the comment section below!
Image credits: Lhlodder
More info: Twitter
This post may include affiliate links.
My girls were about eight before they could cross a street without holding the hand of an adult. They never asked about rules or anything, that's just how things ARE.
Not too similar but made me think of it as I was the top bunk ( and the older) sister! Our mum used to tell me that it's really bad luck to go to bed with the wardrobes or the drawers in your bedroom left open. Like, you'd get nightmares or just bad luck the next day. So this seemed perfectly rationally to me well into my adult years (I guess as much as any other superstition would) A couple of years ago I asked her where that superstition came from and she said, "oh, it was just to make you tidy up and put everything away before you went to bed." And it bloody worked. I'm in my 30's now and still do it out of habit! Sneaky mum.
Granny Weatherwax had this issue, legitimate problem for some people.
Heaven forbid we just tell kids they are not allowed to watch tv whenever they want.
I don't even see the point of this lie.. he could have just as easily pointed to the engine temperature gauge and said when the car is "in the warm area"...
I strongly disagree with lying to your children as a parenting technique. If you want to be able to trust your kids, you need to trust them. If they're old enough to ask the question, they're old enough for a truthful answer at an age-appropriate level. All of these entries smack of sheer laziness on the part of the parent to do actual parenting. Parenting is two things: helping the animal you gave birth to to become a human being, and teaching that human being how to manage life without you. Lie to them, and they'll learn that lying is a valid tactic.
I agree. The one where they said the main character of the TV show was asleep or they don't make batteries for that toy anymore really annoys me. I can't believe people would do that to their children.
Load More Replies...I'm going with the late great Terry Pratchett on this one - we tell children small lies to prepare them for the big lies they will have to swallow as adults
Taken out of context. Please don't insult Pratchett like this. And it wasn't Pratchett, it was one of his best (and most unhuman) characters who said it. "All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable." REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THAT PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE. "Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—" YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES. "So we can believe the big ones?" YES. JUSTICE, MERCY, DUTY, THAT SORT OF THING."
Load More Replies...Y'know, with all the lies we're told when we're children, it's amazing we believe anything is true when we're adults...
I'm wondering if there is a link between conspiracy theorists and their parents/caregivers lying excessively during their childhood.
Load More Replies...I strongly disagree with lying to your children as a parenting technique. If you want to be able to trust your kids, you need to trust them. If they're old enough to ask the question, they're old enough for a truthful answer at an age-appropriate level. All of these entries smack of sheer laziness on the part of the parent to do actual parenting. Parenting is two things: helping the animal you gave birth to to become a human being, and teaching that human being how to manage life without you. Lie to them, and they'll learn that lying is a valid tactic.
I agree. The one where they said the main character of the TV show was asleep or they don't make batteries for that toy anymore really annoys me. I can't believe people would do that to their children.
Load More Replies...I'm going with the late great Terry Pratchett on this one - we tell children small lies to prepare them for the big lies they will have to swallow as adults
Taken out of context. Please don't insult Pratchett like this. And it wasn't Pratchett, it was one of his best (and most unhuman) characters who said it. "All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable." REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THAT PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE. "Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—" YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES. "So we can believe the big ones?" YES. JUSTICE, MERCY, DUTY, THAT SORT OF THING."
Load More Replies...Y'know, with all the lies we're told when we're children, it's amazing we believe anything is true when we're adults...
I'm wondering if there is a link between conspiracy theorists and their parents/caregivers lying excessively during their childhood.
Load More Replies...