Friday, September 11, 2009

Enhancing the Truth or Out Right Lying?

I think we may be in for an interesting few years. Miss Kate has always had "a way" with the truth. Last night Justin ran in to turn off something at the university and took Kate along for the ride. When they got home he went to run water for the girls' bath. As we were chatting, she told me that, "Daddy gave me Crystal Violet, and it burned me."

It seemed highly unlikely that my husband would give the child any chemical, let alone one that might burn her, so I pressed her, asking, "Will Daddy tell me this?"

"No," she answered. "He wouldn't want you to know it hurt me. They have Neosporine and band-aids there."

"But, Kate, you're not wearing a band-aid."

"Well, it wasn't hurting in the car, so I took it off."

What?!?

So when Justin came down, I asked, of course he said it wasn't true...he gets to keep his good Daddy badge, but why would she make up such a story and how does she even know that there is a chemical named Crystal Violet?!? She said she's just teasing, but how do we convince her that sometimes her words can have huge consequences on others. I mean, I actually asked Justin if it was true. What happens if she tells the wrong person that we hang her by her toe nails or some other such nonsense and they believe her?

3 comments:

ann said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ann said...

I've never even heard of Crystal Violet.

Just A Chemist said...

Crystal violet... Ann, you could ask Matt. It's a rather common staining agent for optical microscopy, but it's also a strong acid indicator (will turn from vibrant violet to yellow at about a pH = 1.5 or so). I don't think it will acutally burn the skin, though I've never checked, I do know it will turn the skin bright purple tho.
How K knew? I have no idea unless I said it ONCE in conversation about a year ago, or so.