Is it always wrong to lie? Most parents are tempted to shield their children from the brutal truth at some stage, or perhaps get their imaginations going, or simply make the parenting day go smoothly.
Year 6 Debating Club discussed this thorny issue, based on new research which indicates that parents should always tell their children the truth to prevent ‘kids hiding the truth as they get older’. Debating Club were truly divided – is all lying wrong, or does it sometimes prove to be the kinder thing to do? What if you really didn’t think the cake someone made you for Mother’s Day was tasty? Would it save them from hurt feelings to tell a tall tale and say it was? Or does this encourage children to grow up to be happy playing fast and loose with the truth themselves? Is there ever an occasion where to lie is the more caring response? Where does one draw the line? Are there some people to whom you should never lie, such as the police? What if your younger sibling wants to think there really is a Hogwarts School and one day they might get that letter telling they are a wizard?!
After hearty discussion, Debating Club decided the bare truth might not always be the most caring course of action every time, dismissing the premise that it is always wrong to lie. We decided that to lie and benefit only yourself might not be the healthy choice. And the Elf on the Shelf totally agreed with us.
Categories: Girls' Prep School