What MoneySaving fibs do you tell your kids?

Sea_Shell

My parents are still telling me money fibs!!

Silvertabby

cassie75 said:

As my daughter is now in her 30's I don't remember many of the white lies I told, but I do have a cautionary tale to tell.

My daughter was diagnosed with Autism when she went to Uni for her Post Grad course, so mid 20's. We then found out by many discussions with her about her childhood that she took everything we said literally. So many of those white lies had really upset her as a child. She was in secondary school when she found out Santa was not real.

I now feel really guilty about all those little things we say without thinking to kids :-(

My mum used to fib/make up stories all the time - and would then forget what she had told us!

I once asked her why my younger sister had a middle name, when I only had one first name.  She assured me that I did have more than one name, which was xxx Mary Patricia Anne Susan xxx.  And then promptly forgot.  However, I've always had a memory like an elephant. ..

The next day, during school reception, I 'corrected' my teacher when she only called out my first and last names.  To cut a long story short, my next school report showed 'all' of my names and, after mum had kicked off at school 'for not even knowing pupil's names'  I got a good hiding for telling lies!

MSE_Clare

At Christmas, my 7 year old was asking for lots of presents on his wish list and I told him that he shouldn’t expect to get everything, and told him about all the children might get nothing because their families can’t afford to eat right now.  He said “but Father Christmas will bring those children gifts”….I had to tell him that Father Christmas asks for a donation for the presents he gives because nothing is free in this world! Haha!

breaking_free

HA! MSE_Clare said:

At Christmas, my 7 year old was asking for lots of presents on his wish list and I told him that he shouldn’t expect to get everything, and told him about all the children might get nothing because their families can’t afford to eat right now.  He said “but Father Christmas will bring those children gifts”….I had to tell him that Father Christmas asks for a donation for the presents he gives because nothing is free in this world! Haha!

My auntie had a similar conversation with my 8 year old niece. "But mum, Santa gives us the presents - you don't buy them". My aunt replied, "Santa only chooses the presents but I still have to pay for them!"  

Actually that puts me in mind of another conversation between auntie and niece when they were holidaying down our neck of the woods.
Niece: Can you buy XYZ for me pleeeeeease!
Auntie: No. Your sister and you have already had lots of treats and I've not bought one thing for myself yet.
Niece: Yes you have. Yesterday in the pharmacy.
Auntie: What did I buy? (momentarily perplexed) Oh yes, great holiday treat for me that is - a box of bl**dy tampax!

I didn't stop laughing about that the whole day 

SadieO

MSE_Clare said:

At Christmas, my 7 year old was asking for lots of presents on his wish list and I told him that he shouldn’t expect to get everything, and told him about all the children might get nothing because their families can’t afford to eat right now.  He said “but Father Christmas will bring those children gifts”….I had to tell him that Father Christmas asks for a donation for the presents he gives because nothing is free in this world! Haha!

Aaw, that's a danger with the Father Christmas myth. The message all over the place is that he brings you toys if you are good. It breaks my heart to think that some kids whose parents don't have a lot of money might think that they didn't get lots for Christmas because they hadn't been good enough 

strawb_shortcake

SadieO said:

MSE_Clare said:

At Christmas, my 7 year old was asking for lots of presents on his wish list and I told him that he shouldn’t expect to get everything, and told him about all the children might get nothing because their families can’t afford to eat right now.  He said “but Father Christmas will bring those children gifts”….I had to tell him that Father Christmas asks for a donation for the presents he gives because nothing is free in this world! Haha!

Aaw, that's a danger with the Father Christmas myth. The message all over the place is that he brings you toys if you are good. It breaks my heart to think that some kids whose parents don't have a lot of money might think that they didn't get lots for Christmas because they hadn't been good enough 

With our children they always had a traditional type gift that could have been made in the workshop. It did get tricky but allowed us to flex how much was spent each year. It also made it quite magical like the time my Son said he wished Santa could bring a bike with flames on, and we happened to find one in a local independent shop. That was the most expensive Santa gift they had, but they were equally happy with a carved wooden toy.

The one time they asked for a PlayStation from Santa we could honestly reply Santa does not make PlayStations, Sony do.

Spendless

MSE_Clare said:

At Christmas, my 7 year old was asking for lots of presents on his wish list and I told him that he shouldn’t expect to get everything, and told him about all the children might get nothing because their families can’t afford to eat right now.  He said “but Father Christmas will bring those children gifts”….I had to tell him that Father Christmas asks for a donation for the presents he gives because nothing is free in this world! Haha!

Pretty much the same story I told mine. Parents pay the bill. Now she's nearly  20 though she told me she hadn't really believed my story about him anyway other than when she was very young. 

mikejassss

White lies are actually extremely common in healthy relationships, according to Susan Orenstein, Ph.D, a licensed psychologist and relationship expert in Cary, N.C.

silvercar

Way back when the internet was in its infancy, maybe late 90s, we had dial-up internet at home. I think we paid 1p a minute. I would tell the kids that the internet was getting tired and needed a rest!

silvercar

The tooth fairy was forever leaving notes that there were too many houses to visit and she would come back the next night!