Parenting :: Is it Ever Okay to Lie?

In our family we call my daughter’s little white lies “Kate’s Tall Tales” a take on Mater’s Tall Tales! Sometimes I have to admit that I think her stories are a little funny and figure she is using her imagination. But then there are other times when her “tales” could do some harm to others in that I might have to talk to another parent about it. In these situations I will sit down with her about whether this is a “tall tale” or did it really happen. You know, the stories that kids come up with! So I am wondering on our journey as parents how do we go about explaining the difference between telling a small white lie so as to not to hurt another person’s feelings or a lie that could do some harm to another person or themselves!

But let’s face it, we all lie.

White lies make life easier for parents (the park is closed today) or make our kids happy (Santa Claus is coming!). Young kids make up stories as they learn the difference between fact and fiction, while older kids sometimes lie to cover for each other or to keep themselves out of trouble.

It is great to use their favorite programs to help them about why lying could get themselves or others into trouble! Check out the following shows available on Netflix that are related to lying and honesty for inspiration.

For the Kids:

1. The Gruffalo
2. Care Bears: S1E8, Untruths and Consequences
3. Veggie Tales in the House: S1E9, Lie-monade
4. Little Princess: S1E9, I Didn’t Do It

For Your Big Kids:

My daughter is obsessed with Jessie and we watch it quite a bit! There are always great moral lessons on each program and it is actually pretty funny!

1. Totally Spies!
2. A.N.T. Farm: S3E9, Pants on Fire
3. Spy School
4. Jessie: S1E14, World Wide Web of Lies

For teens and parents:

The Rayburns, from the new Netflix original series, Bloodline, have some dark family secrets they’re willing to do anything to keep from coming out — lying included. While you may not know the Rayburn clan just yet, The Philadelphia Inquirer calls Bloodline “an intricately drawn and superbly cast portrait of a family in crisis.” Starring Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) and set in the Florida keys, the series follows a family caught between the ugly truth and the terrible lie that covers it up – a storyline that conjured our friends at Variety to predict that, “.. those who give Bloodline a chance will, pretty quickly, find themselves hooked.” I binge-watched this whole series in like a week! I absolutely love it and think the storyline is so fantastic as is the acting!

1. Bloodline
2. Revenge
3. The Bling Ring
4. Pretty Little Liars