Whether you mean to or not, you might find yourself letting one of these lies slip out:
1. Fluffy is living on a farm with all his friends
Sometimes parents have to say a white lie to spare their kids from the awful truth that their pet is dead.
2. He (or she) only picks on you because they like you
Whether this is true or not, it's not a thought we should instill in our child's mind.
3. I don't know where that toy went
Yes, you do. You dropped it off at the thrift store without a second thought.
4. If you lie, your nose will grow
Just like Pinocchio. Parents will use this lie to prevent their kids from lying.
5. If you pee in the pool, the chlorine turns it red so everyone knows
Everyone knows that peeing in the pool is gross, so you just do whatever it takes to prevent it.
6. I'm leaving in 10 minutes whether you are in the car or not!
You'll still wait for them, but this gets them moving a little faster.
7. It won't hurt
You might find yourself saying this at the doctor's office as your child is about to get a shot. But this lie is for their own good (and sometimes it really doesn't hurt).
8. It's everyone's bedtime
No, it's not. You and your husband are just excited to finally get some alone time! Although you'll probably end up passing out as soon as your head hits the pillow, anyway.
9. It's OK
Be careful with this phrase. When you say this, are you brushing off your child's emotions and missing an opportunity to explore those feelings with them? Don't be a parentwho unintentionally hurts their child.
10. My phone is dead
You just don't want them taking blurry pictures of your nostrils and posting them to all your social media accounts. Good call.
11. Santa Claus is watching you
We all know this is what parents say as a last resort to get their kid to behave. Don't worry, almost everyone is guilty of this one!
12. That place is closed
Whether it is the aquarium, McDonalds or the park, if you don't want to go there, the easiest thing to do is to just tell your kids that it's closed.
13. The stork brought you to us
Kids are curious, and they might start asking about where they came from while they're still young. For tips on how to talk to your kid about this sensitive topic, visit healthychildren.org.
14. There are hidden cameras in every room
Here's another lie parents use to keep their kids from lying, and to keep them from doing things they shouldn't when mom and dad aren't around.
15. There's no cake left
Whatever the treat is - brownies, cookies or ice cream - you and your hubby are secretly going to have the last few bites.
16. They don't sell replacement batteries for that toy
This is your way of finally getting rid of that annoying toy.
17. We can't afford that toy
OK, this one can be true, especially if your kid wants the latest and greatest toy on the market. But if you find yourself saying this phrase to the $1 truck from the Dollar Tree, it's probably because they already have one too many.
18. We're almost there
They've already asked "Are we there yet?" ten times, so you just need to say this to satisfy them.
19. Wow, that drawing is beautiful!
You don't actually know what it is, do you? Even if you don't, there are times where you think their effort is so sweet, so you display it on the fridge and sometimes even on your social media page.
20. Yum, this is delicious!
Your child could serve you macaroni and cheese with sprinkles and chocolate syrup, and you would pretend it tasted like something you'd get at a five-star restaurant, because you think it's just so cute that they tried.
No one is perfect. That's what makes us human! When you find yourself lying to your child, ask yourself the purpose of the lie. This will help you to figure out if you should or shouldn't continue to use it.
