Lies We All Told Our Parents Growing Up

"Sorry, I missed your call."

Image Source/ The Emily Post InstituteOkay, fair enough, sometimes we genuinely did miss their call. But let's be honest, mostly we were in precarious situations that would've landed us in big trouble had we answered at that time. So, instead, we lied and told them we'd ring them back when we could.

"I'll go straight to sleep."

Image Source/ iStockYou're up way past your bedtime, you're under your covers, you have your Nintendo DS having played Nintendogs for the past three hours, and your parents walk in. What do you do? Drop down like the holy ghost of your body has jumped from your being and left.

"I never used the last of the milk."

Image Source/ VistaCreateThere's nothing worse than your parents waking up to find out you've used the rest of their milk in your bowl of Lucky Charms. Oops. It definitely doesn't set them off in a good mood for the day. So you have to instantly think on your feet, and this is the best lie.

"I didn't eat the cheese for Christmas, I promise."

Image Source/ Rawpixel on FreepikWhen you parents stock up on the food for Christmas day, you know there's one major rule that applies to it: Don't. Touch. So when you went snooping in the refrigerator for a quick bite of cheese, you just know that all hell would break loose when they see the teeth marks.

"I haven't seen your lipstick."

Image Source/ Sassy Mama SingaporeAlso, insert any other cosmetic product your Mom owns. You grabbed it out her makeup chest without asking, smeared it all over your face, the mirror, and your clothes, and then lost it. So there was no other option that to lie. Surely she won't find out, right?

"I'll be back by 10."

Image Source/ iStockYou're off our with your friends and you promise your parents you'll be back by ten. You knew you were lying, your parents knew you were lying, so why bother at all? It absolutely never worked and you just ended up grounded after the whole debacle.

"I'm just meeting _______."

Image Source/ Your Teen MagazineInsert any sensible friend's name here. You can't let your parents know that you're meeting the friend with the bad reputation, or off out meeting someone you've never actually met. So you're given no option to lie, and your best friend of 10 years is the scapegoat.

"They didn't teach us that in class."

Image Source/ Verywell FamilyYou've solidly flunked your history exam, well done to you. But now your parents have found out and you need some excuse to make, so the first thing you think of is to tell them the teacher never covered it in class. A flaw: everyone else passed the exam.

"My teacher started with me first."

Image Source/ iStockYou've got into a big bust up with that uptight, unfair teacher who's always on your back for no reason. By the time you've even got home, she's called your Mom, who has now confiscated all your luxuries as punishment. But no matter how much you try, your Mom never believes you.

"She started it."

Image Source/ Raising Children NetworkAs the younger sibling, you should know better. But when you were a kid, you didn't, so you would purposely antagonise your younger sibling until they snap and you end up in a fight. Your immediate defence is "She started it", which lands your smaller sibling in a lot of trouble.

"I am at my friend's house."

Image Source/ EDM.comAs a young teen, we all got in trouble from time to time. I bet we can all name an instance where our parents rang us and we were definitely somewhere we weren't mean to be. So you lie and say "I'm at my friend's house," with an immediate text to your mate to ask them to have your back.

"If we get a pet, I promise I'll take care of it."

Image Source/ PurinaWhether this was a cat or dog, we just begged and begged our parents until they couldn't take it any longer and caved in. It soon became apparent that we didn't walk or feed our pets half as much as we promised to, but nonetheless loved them anyways.

"We didn't get our report cards yet."

Image Source/ ThoughtCoWe always dreaded the season of report cards because we knew that it would mean earache from our moaning parents, so you'd delay the inevitable for as long as you can. That is, until, your parent bumps into another parent in town and the can of worms opens.

"If you let me _____, I'll never ask for anything again."

Image Source/ Belfast LiveIt was always excruciatingly painful trying to get your parent to buy you the most hideous Barbie doll or let you go on the most ridiculous trip with friends, and you'd roll out the "I'll never ask for anything again." That is until your next trip to Target and the same thing happens all over again.

"The money is for books, Mom."

Image Source/ The TelegraphYou know, it's funny, our parents would fall for this ridiculousness so often, yet would not question that fact that your book collection never actually grew, but your heels and dress collection did. Interesting, do you think the were onto us the whole time?

"I'm too sick to go to school."

Image Source/ Today's ParentKids will be kids and sometimes that means lying through their teeth. Don't lie to yourself, we all faked ill once to get a day off school, especially a day where we knew an important report was due in. So stand next to the radiator and sprinkle your forehead with water for dramatic effect.

"Dad said I could."

Image Source/ CafeMom.comBig. Fat. Lie. Dad never actually said you could, what he actually said was "Ask your Mom," and what your Mom has said is "Ask your Dad." But this was fool proof way to get anything that you wanted, as long as their communication was subpar to say the least.

"My phone died."

Image Source/ Africa ParentFirst of all, they should never have fell for this. Kids' phones are always on charge so the chance that they have ran out is very slim. We would turn that phone off so we didn't receive notifications, or just simply ignore the endless texts from Mom and Dad.

"The traffic was really bad, that's why I'm late."

Image Source/ Daily ExpressWas the traffic bad, or is being late just a part of who you were? We all know that you were definitely tucked up in bed, ten minutes before you were supposed to leave the house and meet your parents, all in the sake of a "quick" power nap that turned into hours.

"Yeah I ate all my lunch."

Image Source/ WikipediaAre you kidding? No way did you eat that cheap, baloney sandwich or the brown banana that came with it. That ended up in the bin at school, but your parents don't need to know that, and no doubt would end up with them arguing with you about food waste etc.

"I didn't block you on Facebook."

Image Source/ The MirrorIn all fairness, who wants to see the ridiculous memes your parents repost, or the super embarrassing childhood photos they post of you too. Likewise, they didn't need to see what you were getting up to at the weekend, so it worked in both favours to have them blocked.

"Just two more minutes Mom, then I'll log off."

Image Source/ KinzooTwo minutes wasn't really an estimate of time. It was more of a statement. "I'll think about logging off soon." There's no way it was going to be two minutes, our parents just didn't understand you can't pause an online game, so they would resort to pulling out the power cord.

"I don't even know what beer tastes like."

Image Source/ ADDitudeFirstly, we always knew what beer tasted like, and that was disgusting. Secondly, we didn't want our parents to know because they'll only freak out about it and no doubt you'd get to go nowhere for the rest of your life. So the lie was for the greater good.

"The teacher never gave us any homework."

Image Source/ ThoughtCoYour parents would never fall for this, because Mr Smith hated children and would ALWAYS give out homework. So when you'd come home from school and they'd ask, you just deny, deny, deny until they found the evidence crumpled up at the bottom of your school bag.

"He's just friend, not a boyfriend."

Image Source/ 30SecondsWhatever our parents don't know won't hurt them, and that goes the same for the boyfriend you only just met, that's five years older than you, that you've declared you loved already. So all they need to know is that he is just a "friend", only a "friend" and "leave me alone."

"I'll do it tomorrow."

Image Source/ Good HousekeepingThere is no way on this Earth that you're climbing out of bed on a Saturday morning to clean up your room. So as long as you say "I'll do it tomorrow," it will keep them off your back for at least another 24 hours until the cycle repeats itself again.

"I took the chicken out the freezer as soon as you told me."

Image Source/ The Green Giraffe EatsYou actually only took the chicken out fifteen minutes before they were due to arrive home. At the time that they text you, you completely forgot to do it, and now apparently you're the family disappointment who has ruined dinner for everybody. Well done.

"I need an extra $20 for gas."

Image Source/ Mental FlossThe gas was actually fine, and there's no way your parents would let you drive the car into disrepair, so they give you the money in good honour. But actually, it's for clothes, snacks, anything of that sort, but they don't need to know that, do they?

"I got you a birthday gift, it's just delayed in the post."

Image Source/ NBC NewsHappy Birthday Mom, I promise I got you a gift it's just been delayed in the post, it was meant to get here on time! What a load of baloney. You know full well you forgot your Mom's birthday and have had to order something on the day so you don't look that bad of a child.

"My friends parents always let them."

Image Source/ HealthShotsThere's a party happening on Friday night and you desperately want to go, but your parents aren't having any of it. So you choose your parent's favourite friend and say "Their parents are letting them go." In reality, your friend is miles away saying the exact same thing.