Monday, July 12, 2010

Mooched Mommy Idea #8: The Tattle Problem

Tattling has entered my life. Crap.

I spent two years as a fifth grade teacher dealing with the plight of the tattlers. With 30 plus students, someone was offended and done wrong at all times. It was exhausting. And I thought it was over once I took on full-time mommying.

Shows what I know.

The toddlers, (one is mine, one I have kept part-time since she was 2 months old), have taken to informing me of all things offensive:

"He bumped my head."

"She took my guitar!"

"He's looking at me poop!"

"She ate my macaroni!"

Obviously, I take physical and verbal harm seriously and those are swiftly disciplined. But, for the ridiculous tattles; I've tried reasoning, sassing and ignoring. I recently mooched this idea from a parenting magazine, and it has worked wonders and changed my life:

Simply say, "thank you for letting me know."

They feel heard, I don't have to play judge and jury, and they can go about their business with a short rebound time.

Until someone invades their private pooping time...and it starts all over again.

2 comments:

Lana said...

I read a blog a long time ago that said her kids are only allowed to tattle if it's about one of the "4 B's." If it's not about blood, barf, broken bones, or bad guys, she doesn't want to hear it. I thought that was a great idea!

Sara said...

Love it! I'm mooching that!