Many parents are faced with the fact that their young children will tell porkies (porky pies – lies) from time to time. This can be because the incidents presented as truths by their children are so unlikely (for example “I scored twenty goals in the first half”)  or just because they know for a fact that their daughter or son has not brushed their teeth at all or for the required two and a half minutes.

When children are at a young age parents might want to use the technique developed by Wilma Proops when she was raising her twelve children – all of which have gone on to be model citizens even though a couple of them now live in Amsterdam to do this within the law (say no more).

To use this method parents must first teach their children the simple rhyme:

Liar, liar, liar your pants are on fire!

Once this is achieved all they have to do when their darling child utters a lie is to point to the “fact” that they just saw a flame jump out of their child’s pants. For example:

CHILD: Yes, I have done my homework

PARENT: Have you? Well how come I just saw a flame behind you? It couldn’t be that you’re a liar, liar liar, your pants are on fire?