One possible reason parents lie is because of the stress they feel when their children don’t behave.
A study published in the International Journal of Psychology found that 84% of parents in the United States and 98% of parents in China lie to their children to make them behave. When lies are told to children it gets the clinical description of “instrumental lying.”
Common Lie To Kids: In both countries, the most common lie told by parents is the same. It occurs when a child is having a tantrum in public and the parent says he or she will walk away and leave the child if the kid does not behave.
Common Lie To Kids: Another common lie is a false promise of buying a requested toy or other item at a later date if the child behaves.
Most Common Lie To Kids: Parents lie the most about food, spending money and misbehaviour, according to the study.
Parents in the United States lied more about fictional characters such as Santa Claus and the tooth fairy compared to parents in China.
One possible reason parents lie is because of the stress they feel when their children don’t behave, researchers said.
The study also found that mothers and fathers lie at the same rate, but that Chinese parents were more accepting of telling lies to their children.
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Stu Dunn Blog 