Category
Teach Them Well and They Will Lead the Way
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02.08.08
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08.09.07How Far is Too Far?
So I’m beginning to know a lot of babies. And by babies, I don’t mean newborns, I mean old enough to ask questions, understand answers, think cognitively, and believe lies.
Yes, lies. Like when I tell them, “Auntie Sheila isn’t here, she’s an astronaut today for her job, so she’s on the moon. Want to go say hi?” And then I lead them outside and make them wave at the moon. As of this moment, Sheila’s an astronaut. And what happens if I keep reinforcing this? I go and wrap a rock, and give it to them the next time I see them, and say, “Auntie Sheila couldn’t be here, but she wanted me to give you this moon rock.” They believe me when I say it’s a piece of moon rock.
Do I become an untrustworthy resource to them? Will they resent me later in life when they realized I spent the last 13 years of their lives lying to them? Besides telling children about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and honesty in Corporate America, what’s the longest lie you’ve ever told a child? And did they resent you when they found out the truth?
