JOIN THIS BOARD (FREE!) Main SheKnows.com site FAQ/List of boards Members list Social Groups Calendar Search Today's messages Mark forums read

Welcome unregistered member, please login or register now. «

Not registered? Join now!

Quick links: Living | Food | Love & Sex | Photography/Graphics | Entertainment | Home/Garden
Parenting | Pregnancy | Trying to Conceive | Health, Diet & Fitness | Beauty/Style | More
Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter!
Search the boards!
The latest posts

Quick stats
Forum members:
Forum threads:
Messages: 6
Online:
Newest member:

Ads & good stuff


 


Ask The Parenting Expert Host(s) needed. Are you interested in Hosting? If so please click here and let us know.

 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 01-05-2010, 10:56 AM
Journalist/Author
 
Joined on: Dec 2009
Location: I live near the beach in California.
Messages: 29
Blog Entries: 1
Award Star Bronze 2 It's a lie! Or is it ... ?

It seems I've spawned a little liar.
My 4-year-old is experimenting with the truth this week, and it's testing my resolve.
"Did you brush your teeth?" I ask him.
"Yes," he replies.
"Really?" I ask. "Because that was incredibly fast."
"I did."
"OK, so … why is your toothbrush dry?"
He sighs. "Because I didn't really."
The next evening, he does it again — this time he tells us he fed the puppy when, in fact, he didn't.
My eyes go squinty with outrage and I do what I always do when faced with a kid-rearing challenge for which I am woefully unprepared: I launch into an age-inappropriate speech ("truth is one of our family's highest values"). Then, shamed by his blank stare, I dial it back to a simpler but ultimately still inscrutable lesson ("Little boys who cry 'wolf' get eaten by, um, hungry puppies. And your teeth will fall out, too.")
Once I've thoroughly confused him and made him feel lousy, I always end up saying the same thing as I tuck my wayward boy in to bed: "Good night, buddy. Tomorrow you get the chance to make better choices."
But the truth — as long as we're touting it — is this: I don't know if he'll make better choices tomorrow. The truth is wigglier than any of us like to admit and learning to live by it is tricky, even for adults.
As he bumps up against the boundaries of "honesty," my preschooler tests my own definitions of "lying." And I'm disappointed to discover I'm no great help in his quest to find the bottom line.
"What if you promise to do something," he asks, "and then you forget?"
"What if you say you like someone, and then you change your mind?
"What if you're just kidding?"
I've got a better idea, kid. What if I just feed the dog myself from now on?
Reply With Quote
 

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Message rules
You cannot post new threads
You cannot post replies
You cannot post attachments
You cannot edit your posts

BB code is On
Smileys are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:52 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.