The Two Sentences That Will Get Your Kids to Tell the Truth

And if the secret to parenting really boils down to THAT, you're going to be FURIOUS at all the time and effort you've wasted.  Erick Barker is the author of a book called "NurtureShock:  New Thinking About Children".  And he says you only need TWO sentences to get your kid to always tell you the truth.

What the heck?  I'm furious already.  Having raised my two boys, and helping to raise one of our grandkids, I have (and you have too) spent an ENORMOUS amount of effort trying to extract truth from kids who will fight to the death NOT to tell the truth.  Just like you,  I have tried, what I thought, was EVERY trick in the book,  most times to limited effect.  And, I confess, in some cases I let my emotion get in the way of good fact-finding.   As a result, I probably created an enviornment where the kids were scared as hell to tell the truth!  My bad.  So, okay.  I'm ready to be enlightened.  What ARE those two sentences?

ACCORDING TO ERICK BARKER, when you think your kid might be lying about doing something, tell them:  "I won't be upset with you if you did it.  And if you tell the truth, I'll be really happy."

Barker says those sentences significantly cut down on lying because, quote, "Young kids are lying to make you happy, to try to please you.

"So telling kids that the truth will make a parent happy challenges the kid's original thought that hearing good news, not the truth, is what will please the parent."

He also found another sentence that cuts down on lying by about 25%.  Say to your kid, "I'm about to ask you a question.  But before I do that, will you promise to tell the truth?"

Well.  That was kind of easy, huh.  Sorry kids.  I sucked as a parent.

And on that note, I leave you with a couple of cool links to check out.

Epic Model Train Spiral Will Mesmerize You

And this one, that will warm your heart.  Probably make your spleen kinda toasty too.

Shocking Dog Transformation