Babies Lie

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yes, your darling innocents are mini con(wo)men.

Whether lying about raiding the biscuit tin or denying they broke a toy, all children try to mislead their parents at some time. Yet it now appears that babies learn to deceive from a far younger age than anyone previously suspected.

Behavioural experts have found that infants begin to lie from as young as six months. Simple fibs help to train them for more complex deceptions in later life.

Until now, psychologists had thought the developing brains were not capable of the difficult art of lying until four years old.

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[Griff]

1. (Sit, Set) here while I (am sitting, am setting) the table.

2. While you (are sitting, are setting) here, please (sit, set) the dial.

3. My jacket was still (lying, laying) where he (had lain, had laid) it.

4. We (rose, raised) to our feet when the flag (was risen, was raised.)

5. Flora (lay, laid) down, but Patty (set, sat) up and read awhile.

6. The flood (rose, raised). Soon people (were sitting, were setting) on the roof.

7. The price of the farm that (lies, lays) west of ours has really (rose, risen).

8. (Lie, Lay) down now. You (have set, have sat) up long enough.

9. You (have laid, have lain) in the sun too long.

10. You have seen the sun (raise, rose) blisters on her arm.

11. You (should have set, should have sat) the alarm.

12. I (sat, set) and watched while Dad (laid, lain) the new carpet.

13. The wrecked ship (has lain, has laid) on the beach for years.

14. Alvin (lay, laid) on his back yesterday.

15. Please (sit, set) down.

16. The gardener (is setting, is sitting) out some tulip bulbs.

17. The bulbs (were set, were sat) out by the gardener.

18. The book (was lain, was laid) down by George.

19. Henry (has laid, has lain) down for a nap.

20. The chair (has been set, has been sat) on the stage.

21. The window (had been raised, had been risen) by the man with the coat.

22. The bad children (were sat, were set) in the corner.

23. The hens (are lying, are laying) well.

24. The sun (sits, sets).

25. The mixture (will set, will sit) in an hour.

26. (Set, Sit) her upright.

27. I like to watch the sun (sat, set, sit).

28. They (were sat, were set) in the chairs by their mothers.

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by Griff

1. (Sit, Set) here while I (am sitting, am setting) the table.

2. While you (are sitting, are setting) here, please (sit, set) the dial.

3. My jacket was still (lying, laying) where he (had lain, had laid) it.

4. We (rose, raised) to our feet when the flag (was risen, was raised.)

5. Flora (lay, laid) down, but Patty (set, sat) up and read awhile.

6. The flood (rose, raised). Soon people (were sitting, were setting) on the roof.

7. The price of the farm that (lies, lays) west of ours has really (rose, risen).

8. (Lie, Lay) down now. You (have set, have sat) up long enough.

9. You (have laid, have lain) in the sun too long.

10. You have seen the sun (raise, rose) blisters on her arm.

11. You (should have set, should have sat) the alarm.

12. I (sat, set) and watched while Dad (laid, lain) the new carpet.

13. The wrecked ship (has lain, has laid) on the beach for years.

14. Alvin (lay, laid) on his back yesterday.

15. Please (sit, set) down.

16. The gardener (is setting, is sitting) out some tulip bulbs.

17. The bulbs (were set, were sat) out by the gardener.

18. The book (was lain, was laid) down by George.

19. Henry (has laid, has lain) down for a nap.

20. The chair (has been set, has been sat) on the stage.

21. The window (had been raised, had been risen) by the man with the coat.

22. The bad children (were sat, were set) in the corner.

23. The hens (are lying, are laying) well.

24. The sun (sits, sets).

25. The mixture (will set, will sit) in an hour.

26. (Set, Sit) her upright.

27. I like to watch the sun (sat, set, sit).

28. They (were sat, were set) in the chairs by their mothers.

[DucksNuts]

They do too!!

I was commenting on this the other day, someone was trying to tell me that babies are *taught* to lie.....pigsarse!

How can you teach that to one so young?

[piercehawkeye45]

By subtle hints but I don't really buy into that.

For example, I believe that babies are taught to be selfish by observing the world around the in relation to possession. Mom has her car, her clothes, her purse, etc and it is only common sense to assume that babies will pick up on that and want "their" toys, etc. That is hard to dispute though because it is impossible in our society to be raised without words that indicate possession (my, her’s, his’, their, our, etc) but it would be interesting to find out. Too bad that experiment would be considered unethical…

Back to lies, I can't think of a situation where babies will pick up on lies because they do not understand what truth is and it makes sense that lies have to do with instinct to build creativity.

[monster]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

For example, I believe that babies are taught to be selfish by observing the world around the in relation to possession. Mom has her car, her clothes, her purse, etc and it is only common sense to assume that babies will pick up on that and want "their" toys, etc. That is hard to dispute though because it is impossible in our society to be raised without words that indicate possession (my, her’s, his’, their, our, etc) but it would be interesting to find out. Too bad that experiment would be considered unethical.

grief. that's the biggest load of cobblers I've read for a while.

[Aliantha]

It is basic human nature to be deceptive. This has been a known fact for a very long time.

It's got nothing to do with nurture and everything to do with nature.

That's why we spend so much time trying to stop kids from lying.

It'd probably help if we stopped lying to them first though.

Oh man, my son was/is the biggest, from day 1!

[piercehawkeye45]

They will obviously be self-centered but how is it that hard to believe that they don't pick up on possession from the outside world?

[Clodfobble]

I know some (horrible, IMHO) parents who don't discipline their children at all. I mean at all.* The woman has daddy issues and "doesn't want her child to ever feel like he is restricted." But the point is, this child has a very thorough concept of possession, despite the fact that in his experience his parents have none. Everything is his in his world, and he acts like it.


*As an example, their toddler kept turning on the TV, and rather than tell him not to, they got rid of the TV and watch their shows on the computer instead because it's too high for him to reach.

[xoxoxoBruce]

That kid is in for a rough life.

[Griff]

We have a low grade family controversy brewing because Pete's Mom didn't invite a similarly raised grandchild to the Adirondacs this week. I fear it won't be the last time she's excluded from something that requires responsible behavior. I don't know how a kid can pull it together when she's been trained to be contrary.

[Sundae]

Sometimes obnoxious children get the corners rubbed off them at school.
They remain monsters within family settings, but are reasonable within the discipline imposed at school and by peer pressure.

The exceptions tend to be rich boys and pretty girls.

[TheMercenary]

Babies don't lie. But esearchers do make shit up to get published. The measured behaviors in this idea that babies lie is laughable.

[xoxoxoBruce]

You sticking up for kids... now that's a switch.