Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: Why Do Children Fib?

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/09/30/The_Secret_Lives_of_Parents_Revealed

Authors Po Bronson and Ayelet Waldman discuss the intricacies of childhood lying. Bronson offers the developmental cycle of lying in young children, while Waldman illustrates with a humorous story.

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Although your kids may make you want to rip out your hair and scream bloody murder, must parents remain calm, forgiving and extremely patient? Not anymore. Blogs and web sites like True Mom Confessions are revealing intimate truths about parenting and forcing us to reconsider what it means to be a "good parent."

Waldman, branded a "bad mother" after stating she loves her husband more than her children, and Bronson, science writer turned parenting investigator, share their experiences, discuss their perspectives on current distorted parenting habits and explore a new way of thinking about kids. - Commonwealth Club of California

Po Bronson has built a career both as a successful novelist and as a prominent writer of narrative nonfiction. He has published five books, and he has written for television, magazines, and newspapers, including Time, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and for National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Currently he is writing regularly for New York magazine in the United States and for The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom.

Po Bronson's book of social documentary, What Should I Do With My Life?, was a #1 New York Times bestseller and remained in the Top 10 for nine months.

Ayelet Waldman is the author of Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace, a collection of essays. Ayelet is also the author of Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, Daughter's Keeper and the Mommy-Track Mysteries. Her essays have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers.

The film version of Love and Other Impossible Pursuits is now in the post-production, with Don Roos as screenwriter and director, and Natalie Portman in the lead role.

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[chopin65]

I was walking my niece to buy her a promised treat for scoring well on a math test. "Charlie-Jo, what will you be when you grow up?" "A mermaid." she said. "Youre going to have to grow gills." I said. "What are gills?" "They help you breath under water." "I'll use my nose." "But you would drown." "That's not true. The little mermaid didn't drown and she got a nose and talks too!" "You're right, I didn't think of that!" She saw it so it must be true.

[SeventhSun]

@Durchbrechen

Groundhog Day is still the best after Independence Day foreigner.

[noodle100100]

i lied as a kid cuz i knew i'd get in trouble if i told the truth anyways

[mrballin1995]

@chopin65 well did you let her become a mermaid?

[mryoshi1221]

@Durchbrechen Yes we do :3

[cokmobot]

Save it for Critics' Appreciation Day. February 30.

[WillSKB88]

Very good! :D

[Durchbrechen]

> The USA only have 365 days, not quite enough for 'everything....

good and funny points. But I'm ready to bet there are overlapping national days. Without mentioning the fact we could use the irrational numbers domain to fractionate the calendar :)

[keithgarry]

Yesterday was National Grouch Day.

[marsCubed]

The USA only have 365 days, not quite enough for 'everything'.

Europe and other continents help them out with other unique holidays.. but really we all need vacations Every day to cover Every thing.

We have robot slaves already, We just need to get the social structure in place so it all functions smoothly.

There will be no shortage of things to do either BTW. lots to commemorate and celibate, every single day in fact, or travelling to get to a celebration or something.

[Durchbrechen]

Even in the case of the Parents' Appreciation Day (I hope this has not political links), I frankly doubt there are papers demonstrating the pedagogic utility of it. I could be wrong but this is my hunch.