Well I agree. From personal experience, I know that because I wanted to sneak around, I lost my parent's trust. All that happened almost four years ago and until this day, I don't have their full trust like I once did. When I want to go out and we argue and I fight and yell with them, I am constantly reminded, "You asked for this." I wasn't honest with my parents because I was scared, because they are so strict and traditional. So word of advice, no matter how your parents are, try to be as honest as possible. At least you are putting the truth out there, and it will help you have a better and healthier relationship with your parents.

I agree with Michael. We all know that if you lose the trust for someone, that person will never gain it back. Many people think, "If someone forgave me once, they will forgive me whenever I want." Trust is a very, very important part in any relationship (love, parents, friends).

i don't think telling the truth to your parents is the best thing to do because one time i wanted to go to Disneyland with my friend and i told my dad if he would let me go...i actually told the truth to him...so he told me i couldnt go....i didn't argue with him so i just left his room and went to mine...then i started thinking why, when i say the truth, they won't let me go to places?...but yet when i lie, they'll let me go anywhere i want. That's why i don't think telling the truth is good.

I agree that honesty is the best policy, but realistically, the chances of everyone suddenly becoming honest are about the same chance of everyone becoming non-judgmental, even in their minds. It's not likely. Although the world would be a better place if everyone was honest, not all the if's in life can be resolved. Therefore, making it hard for everyone to suddenly change their habits. People will lie as long as they think their lies are insignificant to the outcome of others' lives. Which is what many lies are seen as. And since it's impossible to change the way everyone thinks, pure honesty within all is a very difficult thing to ask for. However, I do agree that to live an honest life would be more rewarding than what you received from the lie.

You said there are at least 2 potential consequences of dishonesty. I think one that you failed to mention is of most importance and that would be the self image that we all have built inside. When lying gets you what you want, you are only satisfied for a short time. Getting caught in a lie has both the consequences you mentioned, and even those fade with time. The one thing that is even harder to change is that constant inner voice telling you, "You're a liar." You have to live with you for the rest of your life. I'd much rather hear myself say, "You're so honest."

Trust is a two-way street. If parents expect honesty from their children, they need to also be trusted to make wise decisions. At a certain age, children do deserve explanations for decisions and they should be well-reasoned. Many times parents hand down arbitrary decisions which cause their children to circumvent the lack of trust by lying. Vanessa's rationale is what results. So before we go condemning our children, let's clean our own house first.

Telling the truth does not always get us what we want. Even still, what we want is not always the best thing for us.

Looking over my life, I am proud of the fact that my parents and relatives trusted my cousins and me to go where we said we were going and do what we said we were going to do. Their trust afforded us the opportunity to travel great distances and have good, clean fun because our parents and other relatives knew we were not going to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to try to have "fun". It was a gift we all cherished, and have been able to pass on as a legacy to our children.

I knew of three girls who wanted to go to a party after school, but their parents wouldn't let them. They went anyway and made up a story that they were kidnapped by a man and assaulted so their parents wouldn't know they went to the party. When one girl told her parents the story, they called the police. The police called the girls in to identify a possible suspect in a line-up. The girls all fingered the same man. That man went to jail. Eight months later, one of the parents heard something and finally figured out that the three girls lied about being abducted. The man spent eight months in jail because three girls wanted to go to a party. I don't care what kind of a spin you put on it, lying is WRONG. PERIOD.