Learn English – word or phrase for teaching someone a bad thing

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Say a father want to teach his children a lesson by giving an example of a behavior or thing that is immoral or illegal. Or imagine a teenager want to teach his or her friend a rude action and you as his or her best friend want to advice him or her not to do that. Or a TV program that isn't suitable for children.

How can I as a mother or best friend, tell them that what you are teaching or the example you are giving may have a bad impact on them because they will learn something (like using drugs) that they may want to try that because of the natural curiosity of human being?

I am looking for a word that means "the way of teaching, especially to children, where you teach someone something immoral or illegal not on purpose."

Best Answer

If the bad lesson was unintentional, the words could be misteach or misinstruct.

The father mistaught his son about gun safety.

The priest was found to be misinstructing the boys about the violence used by Joshua.

Also, misguide could be the word.

The mother misguided her daughter as to the Birds and the Bees.

In some contexts, misinform will work.

Billy misinformed Johnny as to when he needed to be back in class.

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