How to explain a 6 years old sister what a white-lie is?

MasterGod · Post by **MasterGod** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:17 pm

lol, I bet you didn't expect such question ha?
Well, my sister asked me what is a "white-lie" and I didn't knew what to say except that if someone gives you a present you don't like you still smile but she didn't get it

TyWuNon · Post by **TyWuNon** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:24 pm

what about the definition

White lie, a euphemism for such lies as one finds it
convenient to tell, and excuses himself for telling.

http://dictionary.die.net/white%20lie

twilight17 · Post by **twilight17** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:30 pm

HAHAH, try to role-play it out

TyWuNon · Post by **TyWuNon** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:32 pm

twilight17 wrote:HAHAH, try to role-play it out

JP · Post by JP » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:49 pm

White lies are normally to prevent someones feelings getting hurt when they really don't need to be hurt by it. Like the gift thing, if they give you a gift and it's crappy then they don't particularly need to know that, they're not at a disadvantage for not knowing the truth as it doesn't affect them much so they don't need to know and you just pretend to like it and be gracious about it all.

Certainly a tricky one to teach kids when they've been told lying is bad but all of a sudden there's a special sort of lie that you're allowed to use

jam · Post by **jam** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:58 am

JP wrote:White lies are normally to prevent someones feelings getting hurt when they really don't need to be hurt by it. Like the gift thing, if they give you a gift and it's crappy then they don't particularly need to know that, they're not at a disadvantage for not knowing the truth as it doesn't affect them much so they don't need to know and you just pretend to like it and be gracious about it all.

ah, but when the giver notices you don't use or wear the item and asks why what do you say, even better the person who gave you the gift now believes you really like the item and now every year you get similar "gifts".

White-lies are bad, they only comeback to haunt you latter.

BlindSide · Post by **BlindSide** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:02 am

JP wrote:White lies are normally to prevent someones feelings getting hurt when they really don't need to be hurt by it. Like the gift thing, if they give you a gift and it's crappy then they don't particularly need to know that, they're not at a disadvantage for not knowing the truth as it doesn't affect them much so they don't need to know and you just pretend to like it and be gracious about it all.

Certainly a tricky one to teach kids when they've been told lying is bad but all of a sudden there's a special sort of lie that you're allowed to use

But this "I think the gift is crappy but I'll tell them it's ok" is kinda subjective. I mean how sure are you that the gift is crappy? What about a white lie on objective matters like not telling a car crash patient that their partner has already died in order to not stress them out and disrupt recovery?

MasterGod · Post by **MasterGod** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:39 am

BlindSide wrote:What about a white lie on objective matters like not telling a car crash patient that their partner has already died in order to not stress them out and disrupt recovery?

Man that's a good example but don't forget my sys (sister lol) is a 6 years old child!

zeno60 · Post by **zeno60** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:55 pm

MasterGod wrote:
BlindSide wrote:What about a white lie on objective matters like not telling a car crash patient that their partner has already died in order to not stress them out and disrupt recovery?
Man that's a good example but don't forget my sys (sister lol) is a 6 years old child!

I'd be a little pissed if I found out doctors lied to me about my friend/partner dieing in the same accident.

How about lieing about a surprise birthday party or i'm sure your sister has seen you or one of your parents buy a gift for the other and you always say to them: "Don't tell Daddy/Mommy!"

MasterGod · Post by **MasterGod** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:00 pm

@zeno60: I'll try that tomorrow, thanks.
And about what you said regarding BlindSide -

BlindSide wrote:in order to not stress them out and disrupt recovery?

monkeycracks · Post by **monkeycracks** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:18 pm

TyWuNon wrote:what about the definition

White lie, a euphemism for such lies as one finds it
convenient to tell, and excuses himself for telling.
http://dictionary.die.net/white%20lie

If my six year old sister understood that, I'd be taking her to the doctor.

zeno60 · Post by **zeno60** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:12 pm

MasterGod wrote:@zeno60: I'll try that tomorrow, thanks.
And about what you said regarding BlindSide -
BlindSide wrote:in order to not stress them out and disrupt recovery?

Well it is understandable, obviously if I was in very bad shape and was unable to be told about my friend it can wait but if I have the mental capacity to understand I would like to know about it. What BlindSide said left a lot of "What Ifs" I mean physicians do have a sworn oath to protect and not cause any unjustifiable harm to patients, whether this definition of harm includes emotional damage is another debate, but if the doctor lied to my face about my friend being OK when he knew he/she was dead, is very different than just not telling me about it if I did not ask (which I think is permissible). Both I take as the doctor lieing in order to further my recovery, but one being morally wrong. At least in my opinion.

You could almost compare it to a doctor not telling me I have cancer to see if I get better...

rogerborg · Post by **rogerborg** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:40 am

Tell her that a white lie is when her favourite dog/cat/rabbit/hamster/fish died, and Mummy and Daddy bought a new one and didn't tell her.

Dorth · Post by **Dorth** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:54 pm

"No darling, of course you were not an accident."

MasterGod · Post by **MasterGod** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:02 pm

zeno60 wrote:How about lieing about a surprise birthday party

She understood that

Thanks!

P.S

Dorth wrote:"No darling, of course you were not an accident."

LMAO!!