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How do you handle tattle taling?

post #1 of 9
7/11/05 at 9:18pm
Thread Starter 
Seems like all the kids are tattle taling more lately and it is driving me Sometimes I ignore them and tell them to deal with it and other times I just tell them all to go to their rooms so they won't fight with one another. I tell the children that there is a difference between tattling and reporting but it doesn't help.
Anyone have any tips with multiple children tattle taling?
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post #2 of 9
7/11/05 at 11:22pm
I remember my kids driving me nuts with that last summer. I'm not sure if they just got tired of it or if the way I reacted to them is what made them ease up (they still do it, but not as much as they used to.)

What I told them was I only wanted to hear what so-and-so did if it resulted in someone bleeding or if fire was involved. I also told them that if I personally didn't see whatever they're tattling about, then it doesn't count and there will be no punishment. I think the reason why they tattle is because they like to see their siblings get in trouble and if that isn't going to happen, they have no power over each other and it takes the fun out of tattling. Now when one of them starts to tattle, I just tell them I don't want to hear it and threaten to send all of 'em to their rooms. That usually puts an end to it.
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post #3 of 9
7/11/05 at 11:41pm
I think it really depends on the situation. If they're tattling because the other one is into something that they shouldn't be, something that could hurt them, I would thank them for telling me and then deal with the other child.

If the child is tattling just to get the other one into trouble, I ignore the tattle and point out something positive about the one being tattled on. For example, I would say something like "But did you see how nice Livia's hair looks today?" or "Do you see the pretty princess on her t-shirt?"
That way, I'm acknowledging that they're trying to talk to me, but I'm not acknowledging or giving into them trying to get the other one in trouble. Then the tattling stops (for the day) because they're not getting the reaction that they're hoping for.

Make sense??
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post #4 of 9
7/12/05 at 12:11am
I usually have to reply to it because I know they are telling me because the otherone is doing something wrong.
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post #5 of 9
7/12/05 at 12:12am
Thread Starter 
That's a good idea Leah to make then know that you hear what they are saying but I think that Emily would just keep crying and complaining!LOL!
Jennifer, I do the same thing. No one gets punished if I don't see it unless it is something really bad and another sibling sees it as well.
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post #6 of 9
7/12/05 at 1:23am
I have a time-out chair that is in the kitchen away from all fun things. When one of the girls tattles and it's not serious, the tattler goes on the time-out chair for 5 minutes. I just say, "Alisa, go to the chair", and then set the timer. When the timer goes off, she gets up and continues to play. After one or two times of this, she gets the point and stops tattling.
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post #7 of 9
7/12/05 at 9:39am
I told my boys that unless someone is doing something to hurt themselves or someone else then I don't want to hear it.
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post #8 of 9
7/12/05 at 12:00pm
I tell them I dont want to hear it.
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post #9 of 9
7/19/05 at 2:29pm
It goes on in our house. Brandon is constantly telling me things Justin does. I tell Brandon he does enough on his own to get in trouble, that he ought to worry about what he is doing and let me deal with what Justin is doing.
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