February 2011-Parent Tip on Dealing with Tattling
Tattling Versus Reporting
If you have more than one child, the reality is that you have dealt with tattling. It is very important to make sure that your child (children) know the difference between tattling and reporting. Tattling is getting someone in trouble and reporting is when someone is being unsafe. This week at St. Joseph School, I will be focusing on teaching students in the third grade the differences between the two. The students learn the difference between a small and big problem in 1st grade when I teach Kelso's Choices (See Counseling Programs for details). This is a great tool to use with younger children brecause you can ask them directly "Is this a big problem where someone is getting hurt or is this a small problem that you can handle?" If the child says that it is a small problem, then they need to try at least two Kelso's Choices. If this still doesn't work, you can quickly do "Problem-Solving Tic-Tac-Toe" with them where one person is X and the other is O. Each time you make a play, you write in a solution to their problem. That way at the end of the game, there is a high chance your child will now have many different solutions to the problem. For the older child you can use SODAS which stands for Situation (the problem), Options (solutions), Disadvantages (cons of the option), Advantage (pros of the option) and Solve it (try one of the options out).
Hopefully, by using the tools above, your child will stop tattling because the end result of getting his or her sister or brother in trouble has been seriously derailed.
Thanks!
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
School Counselor
Hopefully, by using the tools above, your child will stop tattling because the end result of getting his or her sister or brother in trouble has been seriously derailed.
Thanks!
Jennifer Moyer-Taylor
School Counselor