3/26/2026 The Things We Fib...

Believe it or not, when I was a kid I’d sometimes tell stories that didn’t represent the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

As a result, when my mother found out that I’d had not brushed my teeth she would threaten to wash my mouth with soap.

Now to tell the truth my mother never washed my mouth out with soap but I thought she did several times with my younger brother.

He claimed if I had gotten my mouth washed out with soap that Ivory tastes better than Lifebuoy, Lifebuoy better than Dial, Dial has overtones of citrus and industrial chemicals, Irish Spring was “Manly, yes . . .” but he didn’t like it, and Lava had the flavor you'd expect of toxic waste and was abrasive enough to sand all the taste buds off your tongue.

Naw later he said Mom never really washed his mouth out with soap either but did get a few paddles in his day.

We also realized those toy paddle with a ball attached never lasted more than a day before the ball flew off. Those were the perfect paddle for the threats.

So, you can imagine my frustration when I figured out later in life that my mother didn’t always tell us things. Like when we were told that our Uncle died of Cancer but actually he committed suicide.

“It was for your own good kids.”

That was her justification. “It wasn’t really a lie; it was just a little fib.”

That’s why it was okay for her to tell me I was going to have my face stuck that way if I frowned!

It was for my own good that she told me I was the best looking girl in my fifth grade class.

“But David Gilman said I had crooked teeth, freckles, & beady eyes.

She would always say in a few years you’ll grow into a total beauty and all the boys will be fighting over you.”

Turns out there wasn’t a lot of fighting going on when I got to high school.

Thank goodness I met my husband, who had also, over the years, I am sure taken in a one-eyed dog, a three-legged cat with the mange, and maybe three blind mice

I might have eventually grew into my looks. lol!

So maybe that was not a fib.

In my mother’s defense, I’ve discovered that she’s not the only child-rearing woman prone to distortion of the facts. I’ve heard myself told some whoppers to our young ones over the years.

As luck would have it, my kids took after their father and I didn’t have to convince them they'd grow into their looks, they were beautiful; but they were certain of the existence of the Easter Bunny and the old man in the white beard and red suit until it was put it all came together one day when the truth was leaked about the Tooth Fairy.

My youngest lost her first tooth and my oldest daughter could not contain herself about the Santa and all was revealed!

So, now that I have grown kids & grandkids of my own, I understand why, at times, my Mom lied to me. I felt such guilt when I told Mom that I had brushed my teeth but I had not for a few weeks.

My conscience bothered me so bad that several years later I had admitted I had not brushed my teeth for a short few weeks. She was actually impressed that I had the foresight to wet the toothbrush so she would have never known... But I knew!

I convinced myself at that time it was for her own good not to worry and it wasn’t really a lie... just a little fib.

Oh well... Another Day's Musings! 😂

Nana