Ahhhhhh!!!!!!! Tattle Tales!!!!!

United States
May 30, 2008 12:27pm CST
The kids in my daycare are the BIGGEST tattle tales EVER!! You wouldn't believe what they tell me about each other "...looked at me!" "...touched the toy I was playing with!" "...said he likes ...better than me!" and the best of all-"...called me a tattle tale!" I am not even joking and the list goes on! My problem with handling this is I'm afraid if I tell them not to tattle (I have a reward system and they hate to lose stars-lol) then they might not tell me important things that they should. Any suggestions? Preferably before I lose my mind....
2 responses
• United States
30 May 08
You have to know, at this point, that it's in the nature of children to do this. Kids, will be kids and the good thing is, they will grow out of it. I would advise you to just learn to overlook it. Or perhaps you might want to sit them all down as a group and try to explain to them what is appropriate to be tattled about, like things that are injurous or cause pain. It may or may not work, but at least you made an effort.
• United States
30 May 08
You're absolutely right about thiis being the nature of kids, but the group I have presently are out of control with it. I really have a lot of patience (or I wouldn't be in this business) but enough is enough. I have tried to explain what should be tattled on and what shouldn't but more on a one to one basis. I think a group meeting would be a good thing, especially if I ask for their input on what is important-that usually works. I was just so aggravated about it this morning, I felt like screaming. Thanks for looking in from the outside and giving me some good advice. I'm confident that will help, I actually should have thought of it myself. :)
• United States
22 Sep 09
Doesn't that just drive you crazy? I saw something in my 1st graders classroom recently that addressed this. Basically, they were teaching the kids the difference between 'telling' and 'tattling'. If it is important, if someone might get hurt, if it is something that needs a teacher, then it is telling. If you are doing it because your feelings are hurt, because you are trying to get someone into trouble, etc... then it is tattling.