Teaching Kids to Lie

As a follow-up to my previous post about interviews, we are bound to get caught in a dilemma where we are trying to coach our children on how to answer interview questions which they will encounter at various times of their young lives.

During our time, interviewing was rare and hardly occurred, until perhaps you were applying for your first job, at which time you would be old enough to figure out what the right things to say are. But when you’re still a child, answering things the right way, and being truthful, could be two very different things – consider the following questions:

1. If we offered you a place and the other school offered you a place too, which school would you choose?
2. Our school hours are long and you will have to train very late, are you willing to join us and give us your 100%?
3. How dedicated are you to your art-form/sport?

The “correct” answers are:

1. Of course Your School – the other schools I applied for are just a backup in case I don’t get into yours. Your school will always be my first choice.
2. Definitely. In fact, I will give 120%, if not more. I never get tired. My parents don’t call me “Duracell bunny” for no reason!
3. I live, breathe, eat, sleep my art-form/sport. My aim is go professional and represent Singapore and I view your school as the perfect platform to nurture and hone my skills given your excellent training program, teachers and facilities.

Are most kids able to answer like this? Not really, unless they are either 1) well coached or 2) naturally gifted in the art of BS. If is it 2), you should be a bit worried but in the long run, you might have a champion on your hands.

Most kids will answer like this:

1. I don’t know. I have to ask my Mummy. She asked me to apply.
2. Wow! Nobody told me that. Sounds very tiring – I need to ask my Mummy.
3. What does “dedicated” mean? Is it like when you dedicate a song to somebody? I like Bruno Mars and I would dedicate a song to you and your school if you want. But I better check with Mummy.

And when they come out and you ask them how it went, they will say “Very good! They asked lots of questions and I knew all the answers! I think I got them all correct! I even told them that I wanted to get into that other school but wasn’t sure if they would accept me, which is why I’m applying to their school.” That’s when you smack your forehead and regret teaching them to be honest and always tell the truth.