"What's Something You Were Told As A Child By Adults That You Now Realize Is A Complete Lie?" (30 Answers)

We got an interview with Dr. Rosina McAlpine, and she answered some questions about why parents lie to their kids in the first place: "There are many reasons why parents choose to lie to their kids at times. It can be as loving and innocent as wanting to share the magic and joy of believing in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy at one end, right through to wanting to protect their children by not sharing financial issues or health issues with them so as not to stress or frighten them. Then there are the lies parents make up to scare children into 'compliance,' like 'If you don't behave, we will call the police to take you to jail' or 'If you're not good, Santa won't bring you presents' or 'If you cross your eyes in the wind, they will stay like that!'"

Dr. McAlpine also shared whether she thinks lying to kids is good or bad: "As a mum, I have NO REGRETS lying to our son about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. This brought our son and our whole family so many wonderful years of magic and joy. Sure, it wasn't easy when we had to tell him it was all 'kind of a lie.' Only 'kind of,' as in a way it wasn't a lie. It was a way of sharing the wonder of setting goals and making wishes, and that our wishes can come true (even if it is Mum or Dad putting presents under the Christmas tree at first). But later on in life, it provides the groundwork for setting goals, dreaming big, and allowing for miracles to happen!"

Dr. Rosina McAlpine continues: "However, apart from Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, I do not believe in lying to our child about anything. I may withhold information if he is too young to understand - if it isn't age-appropriate - BUT I will not lie. I do my best to answer his questions as fully as I can and as truthfully as I can using age-appropriate language - even the difficult conversations of 'Will you die?' or 'Where did I come from?'"

We also asked Dr. McAlpine what problems a person could grow up with if they are lied to too much: "Children learn their values from their parents and family. Lying to children tells them lying is OK - my parents did it, so I can do it. Hiding the truth from their children tells children it is fine to hide the truth from their parents.

Open communication from parents supports open communication from children." When asked at what age parents should start being completely truthful to their kids, the expert said: "Always... Trust builds over time... It is hard to regain trust once it is lost."