If I had a dollar every time I heard, “I’m telling Mom” coming out of one of my kids’ mouths, I’d be on a first class luxury trip around the world instead of sitting in bed typing on my laptop.
Sadly, I’m not. Because nobody gives me anything but a whole lot of grief.
My children apparently feel the need to tell me every single thing that goes on in my house. Whether I need to know or not. I must admit, it is driving me completely berserk!
“Mom, Temera hit me.”
“Mom, Amanda locked me out of my room.”
“Mom, Lauryn is sitting on me and won’t get off.”
I DON’T CARE!!!!!!
There are certain things I WANT to know. I want to know if someone starts a fire. I want to know if someone is bleeding. I want to know if something expensive or precious or sentimental to me is broken. Other than that… I DON’T WANT TO KNOW.
Part of my job as a parent is to teach my children that they have to fight their own battles. There will always be people who piss them off, do bad things and generally make their life miserable. They are learning all this through their sibling relationships. If I step in and solve their problems then they will go out into the world never knowing how to talk things through and solve things themselves. I must admit, sibling fights are the worst. They are down and dirty. With three girls, it gets pretty dirty around here.
I’m trying so hard to teach them how to get along that I wonder if anything is sinking in. I guess if they are still loving each other at the end of the day (they are) then something is working.
I heard someone speak about the difference between tattling and telling - and I think it applies: ask yourself, is what I’m about to say going to get someone into trouble or get someone out of trouble? If it’s the former - you’re tattling. The latter - telling.
Makes sense to me.
Hmmm… I think I’ll be having a little chat with the girls today about this. We’ll see if it sinks in. I like the explanation.