Reporting vs. tattling: Knowing the difference
BY SALLY BERENZWEIG and CHERIE BENJOSEPH
When it comes to safety, does your child understand the difference between tattling and reporting? Do
you?
It is important that we teach our children the difference from as young as age 3:
Tattling is when a child goes to a grown-up and tells something just to get the other person in trouble.
When we tell children "stop tattling" without explaining the difference between reporting and tattling, our children will stop coming to tell us things. We are breaking down the communication between ourselves and our children. We want our children to come to us with important safety concerns.
What can we do?
We can ask our children when they come to us: "Is this tattling or reporting?"
Remind them: When tattling, they are trying to get someone into trouble (and wasting Mommy's time), but reporting is their responsibility if they have a safety concern. And when they do report, we say:
"Great job reporting."
"I am so glad you came to tell me."
"You did the right thing by reporting."
One of the most important parts of parenting is communication. By encouraging your children at a young
age to come to report to you if they are concerned about their safety or the safety of others you are
opening the door to effective communication. If your children get into the habit of reporting to you at
a young age, imagine the difference in your relationship as they get into the teenage years.
Local moms Sally Berenzweig and Cherie Benjoseph are the creators of the KidSafe personal safety education program and authors of "Jack Teaches His Friends To Be KidSafe." Their eight-week program is taught in preschools and elementary schools throughout South Florida. Sally and Cherie also offer seminars for parents in schools and corporations and workshops for teachers. Visit their website, and
follow them on twitter @KidSafeMoms.
