Sometimes parents think they’re so smart.
But kids of smart parents also tend to be smart.
There are times when both kids and parents try to fool each other. It usually doesn’t work so well. Parents may think they have an advantage in this game. While experience matters, the advantage isn’t nearly so great as most parents think.
Let’s start with the game of peek-a-boo. Very young kids may actually believe that their parents can’t see them when they cover their own eyes. But this ruse doesn’t last long. Soon, both the parents and kids know that it’s a game. It may still be fun, but no one is being fooled.
As kids get older, they become very attuned to their surroundings. They know that they depend on their parents (or guardians) to provide for them and keep them safe.
The kids may ask their parents for something expensive at a store. A parent might say, “No. That’s too expensive.” Even before kids fully understand the value of dollars, they know when parents buy other stuff just as expensive. A parent may not say, “Today, I’m prioritizing other expensive purchases over what you want.” But kids tend to understand that’s what’s happening. Even if they don’t see the parents making any purchases!
As a kid, I let myself be fooled into believing in Santa Claus for longer than the evidence warranted. And then, I helped perpetuate the myth for the fun of it!
When parents are upset, their kids know. “Oh, everything is fine, honey.” Sure it is! No one is being fooled. Even if kids appreciate and welcome the fact that a parent is trying to reassure them.
My brother, sister, and I were older when my parents got a divorce. While we may have been a little surprised, the events leading to this didn’t come out of the blue.
As humans, we sometimes pretend to fool the people in our lives, and sometimes we pretend to be fooled.
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