By Robin Green –
Sirens are blaring from the Millersville police car in your rear view mirror. You are 17 years old and the clock reads 12:03 am, driving 80 mph through a 40 mph zone. Crap.
Still wondering why teenagers lie?
According to Preventionaction.org, online news publication reporting programs for improving children’s health and development, all but two percent of teenagers in a recent US study admitted lying to their parents. And out of 36 possible topics – including drug use, dating, and their friends – the average teen lied about 12 of them. Teenagers lie more then any other age group and parents wonder why this occurs.
“I don’t want to get yelled at,” Trevor Troup explained.
Troup, as well as every student interviewed, expressed the same consensus. They all claimed to lie most to their parents. Ironic as it may be, that’s the truth. Teens are lying to their parents, the people who have the greatest concern for their welfare.
A Penn Manor junior who wished to remain anonymous recalled a time when he lied and really felt the consequences.
“I was being really dumb. I went to a party with my friends and I wasn’t thinking at all,” the student said. “Red cup in hand, a ping pong ball in the other, I wasn’t really concerned with anything. Beastin’ in pong without a worry on my mind until I heard people saying cops!! We all ran, unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough and I knew right then I was dead. Let’s just say my parents weren’t the happiest with me and I lost everything, my car keys included. It was horrible.”
The student had lied about where he was and that just iced the cake.
“My dad yelled a lot. Both of my parents don’t trust me anymore.”
Lies come out of teens’ mouths like streams of water. But is it always their fault?
Pressure from parents to do well in school and be the perfect child can push students to rebel and lie at a rapid rate says education.com, an online parenting website.
“I never have to lie to my friends,” Troup said. “I only ever lie to my parents.”
Yes, though some kids do lie to each other.
‘Do I look fat?’ -Um yes? You look like a cow. You never really say that. You comfort them and fill their heads with compliments. But trivial things like ‘does my hair look good’ aren’t what kids lie about the most.
Three juniors told stories of lying about having sex, drinking and sexting to their parents.
“My parents wouldn’t like the truth,” a senior said.
Can parents really wonder why teens lie? Expectations for students have only gotten higher with time and doing calculus homework with friends sounds better than drinking with friends.
“I lie because I don’t want to look bad,” Karly Weist said. “But I always end up looking worse.”
Lies big and small are told all the time. The truth is, all of us are liars.