The Lie About The Canned Tuna

Anonymous Suspicious Gossip #489 · General

I'm the parent of two teenagers who are always at each other's throats. It's been this way for years now, with them constantly bickering over whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher or do any of the many chores that come up around the house. We've tried all sorts of systems and incentives to get them to cooperate better but nothing seems to stick. One day last week, I was in the kitchen making lunch when I noticed a half-empty can of tuna on the counter. The label had fallen off, so it wasn't clear whether my husband or one of the kids had used it recently. Not wanting either to be accused unfairly, I quickly stuck the can back in place and put a new label with today's date on it. It was just a small thing, really, but as I watched them fight over something else later that day, I felt guilty about lying to protect one of them from a possible accusation. Maybe if they knew how petty some of our arguments are, they'd be more willing to move past them and work together. But now I've created another tiny bit of dishonesty in the house. I know it's not a big deal by any means, just one can of tuna, but as someone who prides myself on honesty, it bothers me more than it should. Maybe I'll confess to my husband about what I did and see if that makes me feel better. Or maybe I'm overthinking this entirely.