A while back we were on a road trip and our kids were raising their sweet voices to an octave that makes every mother want to cry out “Calgon!”
It was simply that one child was overly tired, another child was full of energy and this Mommy had a lack of chocolate. (Yes, I love my chocolate
It occurred to me that when for the umpteenth time that my child was using his or her special ear-piercing octave that he or she could have just said nicely “I need to sleep, could you please let me borrow your pillow?”
Instead, I heard “Mom, SoAndSo won’t share!!!!” OR “SoandSo is across the line” or the best one “SoandSo is breathing my air again.”
I may have used that one on my Mom about my brother. But, he probably was using my air. (wink!)
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Do you have “SoandSo” in your house too?
How many times have I said to “SoandSo” quit tattle-telling? Seriously.
If I had a dime for every…never mind.
But, then when a real emergency arises will they feel the freedom to share with me or are they scared they might be bothering their Mom?
Ahem.
Guilty.
I want my kids to know the difference between whining and truly letting their conversation rise above the classic tattle telling.
Parenting seemed so easy before I had children.
You too?
Ahem.
So…what to do?
Well, we went over the reasons for tattle-telling and actually reporting to an adult.
(See the photo above!) I am sure there are a multitude of differences. This is just what we used.
Did it work?
Well, we are a work in progress!
If anything, it has helped this Mommy to be able to decipher when it is necessary to “tattle” or not to “tattle” and where there is vision – there is freedom.
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Blessings to you! You are loved!
