Today I told a lie to Julia, it was for a good reason. I said that lamb cutlets was roast beef. Everyone at the table were looking at me very strangely but I had my reasons. Julia and Lillian don’t eat much at all and never have. Last Saturday Julia had roast beef and loved it, she then asked is it roast beef today and I just said yes. She nearly finished off the lamb cutlet all on her own, and I was very pleased she thought it was so tasty.

Now I have a dilemma, have I done the wrong thing by saying that the lamb cutlet was in fact roast beef? Most of me thinks not, due to the fact that she was eating and experiencing a new food. It is good for her to do so, but what if she then asks for roast beef and it is not what she was given last time? I mentioned this to the husband and he said that I can say, that it was a different variety of roast beef and is not the same as this one.

I suppose currently it is not a major issue, but I like to tell the kids the proper names for things and now I am telling fibs. Many parents before me have done this,  so it is not new, however I am not sure how this will end. Will Julia be an adult and asking for roast beef to get upset with what is presented to her? Will she forever be angry and upset with mummy and daddy for telling this lie? Maybe this will lead to counselling to get over the upset this innocent incident has created. I wait for the outcome, however this will not be instantly known and will only become known when Julia is older and can understand more, this is when I feel we will be in trouble.

Have you been in this situation? Did you do what I did and say a food was something when it wasn’t to ensure a child would eat? If you did, are your children o.k with this? Has it caused issues? Send in your comments.