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Fess up: what fibs do you tell your children? - £200 voucher to be won.

185 replies

EllieSmumsnet · 20/11/2023 10:03

What fibs do you tell your children to make parenting a little bit easier? From saying carrots help you see in the dark, to pretending the ice cream van has run out when the music plays – three-quarters of parents admit they tell little white lies to their children.

But with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s more difficult to spot when someone’s telling you a big lie. In the run up to Christmas, fraudsters will try to trick you with “too good to be true” deals on products that never materialise. One in four parents have been tricked by a purchase scam, so don’t get caught out this festive season!

  • Share your family fibs in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw.
  • One lucky winner will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice.

Here is what the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign has to say:

“Stay alert to criminals targeting you with purchase scams. Only 26% of parents always research a new retailer before making a purchase, but doing your homework this Christmas season could help protect you from scammers.

Use secure payment methods recommended by reputable retailers and be wary of bank transfers. Pay by credit card for purchases over £100 if you can.

Shop savvy in the lead up to Christmas, find out more about protecting yourself from purchase scams at: www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk

Take Five - To Stop Fraud | To Stop Fraud

Take Five offers straight-forward and impartial advice to help everyone in the UK protect themselves against financial fraud.

https://www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

OP posts:
WrongSwanson · 22/11/2023 22:40

I breezily told my daughter today that I wasn't at all worried about her eating a biscuit with milk in (she'd been cleared by allergy clinic to eat them) and distracted her while she ate it by doing funny drawings to make her giggle

(I was terrified but I knew it was my anxiety plus the mental block of giving her something to eat that we have avoided for a decade. And I knew rationally it was safe, plus i had her epipens on standby)

Bihan · 22/11/2023 23:11

If you don't wear your jumpers and coats in winter, your body will grow fur instead to keep you warm.

Lesina · 22/11/2023 23:13

We visit London fairly regularly. Due to school
we go on a Saturday or Sunday. Apparently Hamley’s is ‘ closed at the weekend’

Alloveragain3 · 22/11/2023 23:14

Santa is watching. Such a good one!

OhGoOnThenIfYouInsist · 22/11/2023 23:15

If you hear the ice cream van chiming, it means it's run out of ice cream

That I have 'magic eyes' and I know who they play with at break time or if they got into trouble
(I didn't really, I just had a Best Friend that was a Lunch Time Helper that used to give me the lunchtime low down)

WeirdBarbieKenergy · 22/11/2023 23:34

We told our 12yo that the bottle of Shloer was wine (he wanted wine with Christmas dinner)
We then proceeded to watch him as he got more and more "drunk" with every glass.

He's 18 now and still cringes when we tell the story 😂

zerored · 22/11/2023 23:50

Telling my toddler that letting me cut his nails will make him run faster... It's the only way he'll let me trim them!

Choccyp1g · 23/11/2023 00:19

20 years ago, when he was dragging his heels, I told DS that the last person out of attractions like Legoland got blacklisted and were never allowed back.
I heard him repeating it to his young cousin last summer. He sounded as though he still believes it.

LittleDeeAndME · 23/11/2023 13:50

We don't have a chimney - so Father Christmas has a magic key

Surgarblossom · 23/11/2023 14:07

The alarm sensors which turn red with movement are Santa's cameras

DinkyDaffodil · 23/11/2023 16:16

The elf on the shelf is watching you and will report back to father Christmas

chris8888 · 23/11/2023 16:32

That the dog tells the reindeers if they have been good because animals can talk to each other. We do a lovely thing too on Christmas eve we go to Woburn deer park to see if we can choose
Rudolph and the reindeers Santa will choose to pull his sleigh.

cannaecookrisotto · 23/11/2023 17:12

I have the tooth fairy on speed dial.

The tooth fairy doesn't take unclean teeth.

Ice cream vans play music when they've run out of ice cream.

I have eyes in the back of my head.

Mummies have inbuilt lie detectors and I know when she's lying by putting my finger on her nose.

Jesus I could go on 😂.

buckley1983 · 23/11/2023 20:19

My son used to absolutely mad about the Mr Men.. Imagine my delight when I found a HUGE collection of Mr Men/Little Miss books in our local charity shop! Bedtime was always a struggle as he never wanted to go to bed, so in a effort to make bedtimes more exciting - I used to say the Mr Men would leave him a new book in his bed if he got to bed on time each night!
It worked for as many nights as there are books, encouraged a love of reading & the charity shop benefitted too! Yes it was a fib, but with good intentions :)

muchalover · 23/11/2023 20:21

That sausages were baby pigs.

My youngest even told his teacher who told him he was wrong. I told him she was wrong and that I would know.

We are all vegetarian now 🫤

MerylSqueak · 23/11/2023 22:34

I told my kids I was the actual Easter Bunny as a joke because I do a really good rabbit impression.

I found out when dd was 14 -yes 14 - that she had believed me.

I found out because I said, ' Do you remember that time I told you I was the Easter Bunny?' Total shock.

Copperoliverbear · 23/11/2023 22:40

I used to tell them there was a hidden camera in the bathroom and if they didn't wash and brush their teeth properly I could see xxxx

Takenwithtea · 23/11/2023 22:41

That when little boys grow up and leave home they bake their mums chocolate cupcakes every week and bring them for tea.

TrustPenguins · 23/11/2023 23:07

The burglar alarm sensors are Santa cams.

Aria999 · 24/11/2023 02:13

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

InterSteller · 24/11/2023 05:03

Elf on the shelf is watching and will report back to Santa

The tooth fairy won't take dirty teeth so you need to keep them clean if you want your cash

The toy shop is shut on Sunday so we can't go for a look.

KaylaDetmer · 24/11/2023 05:40

Daughter hates spaghetti (autistic) but all I had was spaghetti
I chopped it up in the bolognaise and called it "long pasta"...to this day she still eats it and has no idea haha

SkiingIsHeaven · 25/11/2023 01:13

We told the kids that their grandma had a wooden foot.

I have no idea why we did that.

Mummy2mybear · 25/11/2023 02:53

Santa has camera's up in the North Pole for all the children in the world and can see everything. He sends the elves to the houses that need extra eyes to establish who gets the best presents 🎁

JacCharlton · 25/11/2023 13:33

There's a man on the moon watching over us while we sleep