Parents should think twice before lying to their children, a senior researcher at the University of Oxford says.

As we get older, we begin to learn that parents tell us little white lies to try to keep us happy and healthy.

It may be to stop us from eating too much sugary food, to make us behave or to protect us from upsetting news.

“Parenting can be exhausting, and lying is the easy option,” says Rebecca Brown. But is it the right option?

She warns that if kids find out they’re being deceived, it may damage the trust they have in their parent.

Shielding children from upsetting news may also prevent them from understanding the world, and learning to manage their emotions.

What do you think?