If you haven't heard already, I'm going to be a daddy. Of course, all kinds of thing have been going through my head lately. A common rumination is my own childhood, especially moments I remember as tipping points.
One of my earliest memories is my first lie. I think I was right around two years old at the time, maybe even slightly younger. I had broken a lamp while playing alone, my mom asleep in another room. The commotion woke her up. She came in, saw the lamp, and asked if I had broken it. I remember looking at her and being a little surprised she hadn't simply accused me of breaking the lamp. The word "yes" was on the tip of my tongue about to pass through my lips when I realized that I didn't have to say yes – I could say no!
So I said, "no." My mom shrugged her shoulders, muttered something to the effect of "it must have been the dog" and proceeded to clean up the mess. I stood there shocked that I was in no trouble whatsoever.
Up until that moment, it had never occurred to my simple mind that words could be used this way. I was certain at that point that I had discovered some sort of magical power. I remember deciding in that moment to use this exciting new concept to get out of all sorts of future trouble. Though I don't have any specific recollections of lying after that, my mom has assured me that for a period of about six months in my early child hood I hardly told the truth at all. I event tested this new concept to the point of misbehaving right in front of my mother and then proclaiming "it wasn't me!" I can't say it fooled her.
Of course, I eventually learned the value of telling the truth.
I look forward to my child's first lie. I look forward to discovering my reaction to it.
