There is one thing should be clarified: lies, by definition, are intentional. So, a person who would ‘lie on accident’, wouldn’t be lying, but would rather, as you said, simply be misinformed. Here are some points on lying to consider:
1) Lies are lies. There are no ‘little white’ ones and ‘big, fat’ ones. If that were true, who would be the judge of where that line is drawn?
2) Lying always tears down trust and security in relationships, no matter what the ‘level’ of the lie. If I can’t know that I can always trust what you say, how can I ever know I can feel completely secure in our relationship? How can I know I can fully trust you? How will I know when you’re going to choose a lie over the truth?
3) Better communication skills, not lies, are the solution to handling the touchy situations mentioned in this article. You are right in recognizing the sensitivity of some of the situations you mentioned. However, there are always better ways to respond other than lying. For example, take your illustration of lying to children. It is true that there are times when young children don’t need all the facts or information. If questions come up with young children, using redirection is one good communication method. Depending on the circumstances, you may ask them in return, ‘What do you think the answer is?’ or ‘Why do you ask?’ (which is usually the root of the issue anyway, not the question itself). And if they press on for answers, share the palatable high-level bits of truth they can handle for their age level and, if necessary, let them know that you will talk to them more about this when you feel they are at a more appropriate age.

My encouragement to you and all our students would be to continue to develop your communication skills. With strong communication skills, lying can be eliminated, creating a healthier, more trustworthy environment for all of us.