Top Five Lies Said to My Toddler

I don’t even know how I got myself into these lies; they just happened. I think they appeared somewhere between trying to get through the day and knowing what’s best for my daughter. Not a good excuse, I know.

This past weekend I was consciously aware of the lies, or little fibs as I now like to think of them, that I repeatedly made. Here are my top five:

  1. Have one more bite and I’ll…fill in the blank with whatever sounds enticing to a kid. My toddler is going through the grazing stage and forgets to eat. Therefore, I’ll nudge her to take a bite every now and then…just so I know she’s getting some food. My “one more bite” is a lie. It’s usually three or four before I’m caught not doing what I promised.
  2. It’s broken. In an effort to not change the DVD every minute, or giving her my phone, or letting her wear my nice heels, I’ve resorted to saying “it’s broken.” That she understands and will rarely press the issue…for now.
  3. It’s not open. She wants to go to the grocery store — why, I don’t know, but I tell her it’s not open. She gets the same reason for the ice cream shop, the playground (after dark), etc. It’s much easier to avoid the meltdown this way than saying “no.” You can call this lazy parenting; I call it strategic.
  4. I don’t have anymore. No more lollipops in the house. Cookies are all gone. Juice – none left. In a year or two, she’ll know better. For now, I can get away with her not having these “treat” items with little fuss.
  5. Tomorrow we will. She wants to go to Evie’s house for a playdate – tomorrow we will. She wants to bake cookies (when I don’t have the dough) – tomorrow we will. She wants to go to her grandparents – tomorrow we will. She likes the word “tomorrow.” She just forgets when it is “tomorrow.” 
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