The Naked Truth | Don’t lie to your kids about sex: virginity can be a touchy subject for teens, but it’s healthy and natural to talk about it

I have a confession to make.

Every now and then, I lied to my daughter when she was growing up. But I don’t think I am the only parent who has lied to their children.

As parents, we all lie because we think they are young and gullible, which means we can get away with it. We lie about taking them to the amusement park if they behave or finish their homework before dinner. We lie about the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, things that are “too complicated” to explain, or anything just to nudge them to do what we want or what we think is good for them.

While some parents might lie more than others, there’s no denying that white lies are part and parcel of parenting.

Sometimes I lied to my child because I wanted to encourage her, while other times I did it to make her do what I believed was good for her. I would like to think my lies were mostly well-intentioned. But the one thing I would never lie about is sex.