Secrets, secrets are no fun! It is safe to say that the Pretty Little Liars have a couple secrets that are being kept from their parents. According to the text, "Because secrets require people to avoid disclosing information to others, people often try to suppress the information and thoughts related to that secret" (10). None of the parents or family members of the girls know anything about "A" so the girls are keeping individual secrets. The girls do not plan on telling them about "A" anytime soon. "A" usually finds some way to hurt one of the girls or another character. There was an incident where "A" was in a car and about to run over Emily, Aria and, another girl, Mona; but Emily pushed them out of the way and ended up falling and hurting her shoulder. When it came to talking to her parents about what happened, she had to make up a story because no one knows about "A."
Hastings Family Problems Guerrero found, "If parents are affectionate or sexual towards each other, children will expect their own romantic relationships to include affection or sex" (11). Spencer's parents will come home from work and discuss work and school. Nothing is ever brought up about their sex lives. Many secrets are kept between the family. At one point, Spencer's dad hooks up with Allison's mom. It is never brought up to Spencer's mom, but Spencer knows something is going on. Spencer also always ends up having a crush on her older sisters boyfriends, but she never tells her parents or her sister. This usually leads to her getting in some trouble with her sister. All of these problems make up one big unhappy conformity oriented family.