Like telling the kids that you don’t smoke. That the E-Cigarette is harmless.
Don’t you think telling porkies to the kids destroys their trust and belief in parents?
Of course, at some point an older sibling or pal will try to burst your child’s bubble, and he’ll ask the dreaded question: “Is Santa/the Tooth Fairy/the Easter Bunny real?” Your kid’s behavior will reveal whether he can handle the truth. If your 5-year-old comes to you in tears because his friend said Santa is fake, he’s not ready to give up his fantasy. You can say, “It’s OK for people to believe different things. Do you think Santa is real?” If he says yes, you can add, “Then I think he’s real, too.” If he says he isn’t sure, you can explain, “No one knows if Santa’s real, but we all love telling stories about him. He reminds us that Christmas is about the spirit of giving.”
On the other hand, if your 7-year-old asks, “Hey, how can one Tooth Fairy visit every kid in England?”, they are ready to hear the truth. Robin Goldstein, Ph.D., author of The Parenting Bible, suggests you let your child take the lead, asking, “Hmm, what do you think?” If they say, “I think you put the money under my pillow,” you can say, “Aha! You figured it out. Parents tell the Tooth Fairy story so little kids won’t worry about losing their teeth. Now you can feel like a grown-up.”
SO…do you lie like a CHEAP NAAFI WATCH or do you consider what is best for your child and what is AGE APPROPRIATE and TELL THE TRUTH????
