The majority of parents aged between 35 and 50 admit to taking advantage of being the last generation before every single movement was documented on camera to lie to their children about their past. Without Facebook to refute their claims to have been a Punk or New Romantic, they feel they can up sell their past to make it seem to today’s kids like they were a lot wilder than they really were.
Nearly half boasted of attending political protests and a third made out they’d been to various iconic gigs. A similar amount pretended they had been on trend with the iconic hairstyle of the time, such as the “Rachel cut” made famous by Jennifer Aniston on Friends.
The top lies told were to do with social lives, music, fashion, sport and sexual conquests. Clearly those in the latter category have mixed up ‘impressing their offspring’ with ‘embarrassing your children and making them do a bit of sick in their mouth’.
A third of those questioned admitted they lied to impress the next generation, although a fifth claimed to have made up stories about their experiences because they’d actually forgotten the truth altogether.
Here’s your chance to absolve yourself and admit any lies you’ve told in the past – stick them in the comments.
I certainly won’t lie to Elsa, why would I need to when I have the excellent story of when I went out with Kylie that time…
…ahem…
You don’t have to be a parent to lie to kids – in the 12 years since I qualified as a teacher I have told so many outrageous whoppers I’m surprised I haven’t been caught out yet.
Now now, you should know if you say something like that, you have to share with the class…