Growing up consists of a lot of drama, and once in a while, you recount how mischievous you might have been in your childhood and how your parents have to be able to manage and make you turn out into a fine adult. Raising kids is a whole lot of work, which takes up most of your time as a parent. Children are usually raised to know and believe whatever is being told to them by their parents, thereby assuming that parents know all things. Then many of these children go on with this notion until they grow up and start realizing all that was said wasn’t true after all.
There are many things and lies that have been told to children by their parents, and all these are said so as to make the children good people in the future and also to increase their moral standards as they grow. Examples of the common lies told are: I will buy it next time. This is when a child sees a toy or candy he or she wants and tells the parents, but then he gets the old phrase, ‘I will buy it next time’. These lies are also used by the parents to steer their children to the correct path in life as they grow. Raising a child can be filled with so much hard work, but then children need a lot of guidance as they mature, at least up to a certain point where they understand life and basic things.
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Our parents have lied to us about a whole lot of things while growing up, and in a way or two, most of these lies have sharpened our lives to what is right now. These lies have helped us to grow and be better people who have good morals.
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Some of the things our parents lied to us about are listed here:
1. Looking inside the microwave when it is on will make your future babies deformed.
Explanation: Parents make use of this particular type of lie to make children not be greedy about things, and it is also for the child to be careful and not play with electric things.
2. When you chew gum and swallow it, it will stay in your stomach for seven years.
Explanation: This lie is told to a child not to have indigestion or difficulty going to the toilet. Although the gum has been passed out normally, it may just take longer.
3. You shouldn’t go swimming immediately after eating.
Explanation: This is told so that the child will allow the food to digest properly and not throw up doing rigorous exercises after a meal.
4. If you eat and swallow a watermelon seed, a tree will grow in your stomach.Â
Explanation: This lie is told so that when the child is eating watermelon or any fruit that has seeds, he or she would be careful to take them out.
5. When you frown on your face for so long, it permanently stays that way, and you become ugly.Â
Explanation: This is used for a child who is always angry or annoyed about trivial things. It is used to encourage a child to smile often.
6. When you eat too much chocolate, you will get acne.Â
Explanation: acne is an inflammatory disease of the skin, so eating chocolate can’t give you that, but this lie is told so that a child would not consume too much chocolate so that the teeth of the child wouldn’t be damaged.
7. Every human has a minimum of 10,000 words in a month. When you use up your words before a month ends, you will stay speechless till the next month.
Explanation: This lie is told to control a child who talks too much.
8. Your ears will get red when you lie.
Explanation: Your ears can only get red when the temperature is high; therefore, this lie is told to make a child not to tell lies because he or she would be revealed.
9. Santa Claus rewards good children with their choice of gifts.
Explanation: This is often told before Christmas so that a child would be on his or her best behavior. Children love Santa and believe he grants their heart desires with gifts, so then this becomes a perfect lie to make a child behave well.
10. If you sneeze with your eyes open, they will fall out.Â
Explanation: Sneezing is a reflex action, and then our eyes tend to close whenever we sneeze, but in a case where your eyes are open, it won’t fall off definitely. This is told to make the child conscious of himself or herself.
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Reasons Why Parents Lie to Their Children
Parents lie to their little ones while growing up for so many reasons, some of which are outlined below:
1. To change their behaviors:
This is one of the first reasons a parent tells lies to the child; it is to get the child on his or her best behavior. Lies told like these are to develop the moral senses of a child, to make the child have a sense of good and bad and so try to differentiate and pick good acts only. Commonly used lies here are: Santa awards food to children; if you smile often, you will live long when you lie; your ears will turn red; and so on.
2. It is safe, easier, and convenient.
Parenting can be a very difficult job, and tasking too. That is why parents choose to deal with their children the easier way by telling them these lies. It also limits the amount of explanation needed for the child and then makes him or her safe from certain things.
3. To simplify complex things:
Children tend to ask a lot of questions from their parents, such as How was I made? Where do I come from? How can I grow taller? and so on. Parents then result in using simple ways to answer these questions; the lies are used to simplify complex questions asked by their children, and they are happy with whatever responses they are offered.
4. To preserve a child’s innocence:
Some lies are also told to preserve a child’s innocence. There is fun in childhood experiences, and it wouldn’t be right to deny a child those experiences while growing up.
5. For security:
Parents tend to tell lies to their children for security reasons. Maybe in a situation where the parent feels the child would be hurt when told the truth, then the parent tells these lies to enable the child to feel secure and well-loved.
6. For assurance and not fear:
Parents tell their children lies for them not to be afraid about certain things. A child needs to feel secure and safe while growing up.
Lies African Parents Tell Their Children
Every parent usually has a way of dealing with their young ones while they are growing up, and African parents are not left out in this task. Children are generally unique beings, and at a tender age they can be very inquisitive, and they always want to know all the things that happen around them, not minding if they are of that age to know those things or not. Therefore, parents then devise a way to convince the child to believe their explanation.
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Below are listed some of the typical lies African parents use on their children:
1. Let me hold the money for you:
This usually happens when a visitor comes to the house and gives you a gift of money, and then your parents, especially your mom, collect the money from you for keepsakes.
2. Tell me the truth; I won’t beat you.
Most children tend to fall for this particular lie, but at the end of the day, they are still beaten.
3. I will buy it for you next time.
Most of the time, this lie is told to enable a child to move on from a particular want that can not be afforded at that point.
4. I will think about it:
This is a delay tactic, which parents use when he or she does not feel like saying ‘No’ immediately.
5. You will grow into it:
This is for an oversized outfit that a parent wants their child to wear, not minding the cloth shape.
6. I don’t have a favorite child.
Well said, but most times it is difficult for a parent not to have a child he or she loves more, but it will always be wise never to show it.
7. Eat more beans so you can grow taller:
This is often told to a child who refuses to eat beans, so the child is then convinced to eat the food more so as to grow taller.
8. Throw your teeth on the roof with seven stones when it falls off.
Another great lie is told to a child still growing his teeth. Parents make the child think if they don’t throw their tooth whenever it comes off, it will never grow back anymore.
Most parents tend to tell lies to their children as a method of changing their manners, morals, and behavior towards people and the society in which they find themselves. They use this lie method for many reasons, and the most important reason is the protection of the child. As the child grows into a teen, he starts to realize not all are true, and then the reasons behind those lies start to figure them out. Training a child is a very tasking act that must be done with so much care and love.
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