Teens Lying To Parents: Kids Share Common Lies On Twitter
It's eleven o'clock, do you know what your children are lying about? Well, prying parents can now find out using Twitter and the hashtag, #LiesIvetoldmyparents. The search pulls up the fibs tweeted by kids and range from little lies about homework and school to smoking and alcohol -- your typical teen problems.
But according to a 2008 New York Times article, those just maybe the tip of the iceberg. The article featured a study that focused on children lying to their parents and suggests there are 12 topics teen typically lie about:
...what they spent their allowances on, and whether they’d started dating, and what clothes they put on away from the house. They lied about what movie they went to, and whom they went with. They lied about alcohol and drug use, and they lied about whether they were hanging out with friends their parents disapproved of. They lied about how they spent their afternoons while their parents were at work. They lied about whether chaperones were in attendance at a party or whether they rode in cars driven by drunken teens.
Here is just a sample of what kids are sharing on Twitter using the hastag #LiesIvetoldmyparents. The story continues below:
Researchers haven't pinned an exact reason why adolescents lie to their folks but can offer a few theories: the child's embarrassment, their fear of disappointing loved ones, or a desire to become more independent.
However, before parents confront their child on a lie, it's important to find out if these lies hold any truth, says Annie Fox, a parenting advisor and author. "It's really bragging rights in front of a peer group. The truth is that most of them are good kids; they’re just trying to gain some status. The feel that they can only gain respect from peers by acting bad, but gain respect from parents by being good."
Fox also adds that mutual understanding and discussion are key to addressing the problem, "if your kid lies a lot then they might be under a great deal of social pressure -- maybe they're afraid they'll never get invited to a social event again. It's tough to set a standard that are different from other parents but they have to understand it's not okay to lie. The real objective of a parent is to raise a fully grown adult to make good choices when you’re not around."
While the reasons for lying among teens is varied, one thing that is certain: this isn't the first time teens have taken their angst against parents to the internet. Last February, a North Carolinan teen posted a Facebook note berating her parents for overloading her with house-hold chores. Her parents found the message online and fought fire with firearms and shot her laptop, while filming their response to her letter in a Youtube video.
Do any of these tweets surprise you, or are they familiar fibs you used yourself while growing up? Let us know at @HuffPostCaLiv or in the comments below.
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Huffington Post Canada Brian Vinh Tien Trinh First Posted: 03/14/2012 6:29 pm Updated: 03/14/2012 6:30 pm