Little White Lies That We Tell Our Kids

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When I was a kid, my Dad, ex Air Force, used to DRAG us to air shows every summer. It was fun for all of two seconds and then it was laying on the tarmac in 100 degree weather staring at the sun, while we watched plane after plane. My Dad loved planes, so of course HE loved it. But as small children, we tired of it quickly. He was smart though and would send my brother and I in to the air conditioned hanger to check out the booths that were set up and gather “Important Stuff”. Basically, to fill a bag with pamphlets from the various vendors.

My 5 year old self used to be soooo excited about getting all the “important stuff” and my parents would hype me up about it too, never revealing that it was mainly just junk informational packets.

I would carry it home like a prized possession and guard that bag of pamphlets with my life. We now have a running family joke about Dad’s air shows and the “important stuff” sham that I bought in to for years.

This got me thinking what other lies or half truths did my parents tell us growing up? What white lies do we tell our kids? I’m not advocating lying to your children, but sometimes I think, most parents would agree that it’s necessary to tell half truths when you are parenting. Here’s a handful of the top little white lies that we tell our daughter:

  • McDonald’s is also closed on Sundays, just like Chick Fil A, so don’t bother asking.
  • If you swallow your bubble gum, a bubble gum tree will grow in your stomach. This one backfired because she liked the idea of this.
  • The neighbors’ cat was adopted by a nice family that lives on a farm and definitely, definitely not run over.
  • The playground has weird hours and closes a lot. It is very unpredictable.
  • A star appears on your head when you are lying and only adults can see it. Cue our 5 year old covering her forehead every time she lies. Shoutout to our friend Jess for sharing this wisdom.
  • When I’m eating anything she might want to steal, like candy, I tell her it’s spicy.
  • Caillou stopped working on our TV ages ago.
  • And let’s not forget the big ones, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, Santa & The Elf. Lies we lovingly tell her to keep some magic in her life.

Honestly, this list could go on for ages and my nose is growing like Pinocchio as we speak. I am positive at some point our daughter will realize that, in fact, the park and McDonald’s are open much more than she knew. But for now, a little white lie never hurt us. Don’t forget to share your half truths in the comments below! After all, we are in this together.