What Are the Funny Lies Parents Tell Their Kids

Why Do Parents Lie?

It is no surprise that parents lie more than children as we all know parenting is not an easy task. Even though many parents try really hard to teach their children to be honest, at times, parents tend to lie to their children as they ask lots and lots of questions. Starting from calming down their children by answering questions in the chaotic parenting situation, to keeping their children away from the harsh reality of the world, parents tend to lie a lot in order to deceive some truth. So here are some common lies parents tell their kids.

Some Funny Lies Parents Like to Tell Their Kids:

1. Reading in the Dark Will Ruin Your Eyes

Why: One of the biggest lies you were told as a child was not to read books in darkness, as it would ruin your eyes. But only later we realized that it was a prank that our parents played on us as children tend to read books without sleeping at the right time. Mostly because children may have to wake up early in the morning to go to school.

How It Actually Works: According to doctors, reading in dim light may strain your eyes and cause any medical conditions such as headaches, eye aches, etc. So it is always recommended to read in good lighting.

2. If You Swallow Gum, It Will Stick in Your Stomach for Seven Years

Why: As children, we were always told that swallowing gums will stay in your stomach for about seven years. This lie was told, to convince children who are too young to understand that they should not be swallowing gums.

How It Actually Works: As per AAP, Swallowing gum can cause health illnesses such as choking, diarrhea, etc. Gums are mostly indigestible, so swallowing them might also cause gastrointestinal issues.

3. If You Cross Your Eyes, It Will Stick That Way

Why- Children make many naughty faces, especially crossing their eyes. Most parents believed that it might cause eye illnesses such as Strabismus. So they made up a lie that crossing your eyes will stick that way.

How It Actually Works: Crossing your eyes will not cause any problem but it might strain your eyes. There are totally six different muscles that are stretchy enough to return back to their original shape even if the eyes move in different directions.

4. Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Ruin Your Eyes

Why- This was one of the commonly told lies when we were kids because they believed that sitting too close to the TV might cause eye problems. It might also be due to the old TVs which emitted cathode rays from the TV.

How It Works: It’s a common myth that many people believe in even now. Sitting too close to the TV might strain the eyes and can cause headaches but there is no evidence that it will damage the eyes.

5. Swallowing Seeds Will Grow Plants in Your Stomach

Why- Most of the seeds in the fruits are meant to be left out after eating the fleshy part but young children will not have the tendency to understand it. So in order to prevent them from eating the seeds, it was told that swallowing seeds will grow plants in your belly.

How It Works: If you do not want to pick the seeds from the fruits, it is sometimes fine to eat the seeds as it will not cause any harm. But if you swallow raw seeds of any fruits they are excreted through our digestive tract without being digested.

These are some common lies parents tell kids.