I was surprised to learn that tattling is a perfectly normal – albeit annoying – stage of child development. Kids tattle for a variety of reasons – to get attention or to get another child in trouble, for example – but unless they learn – and practice – conflict resolution skills, tattling may become a habit.
It’s also important for kids to learn the difference between tattling and telling,which is the basis of my book, Don’t Squeal Unless It’s a Big Deal: A Tale of Tattletales (Magination Press). I receive lots of comments from classroom teachers and school counselors about how they use the book – and how it’s helped. I even visited a school in Columbia, Missouri, where the book has been incorporated into the curriculum. The phrase,“Don’t squeal unless it’s a big deal!,” is also part of the school pledge students recite daily.
Now I’ve gotten word that Parents magazine included my book in their April 2013 issue as a resource for dealing with negative behavior. Several other titles are listed, so if you work with young children, have young children, or both, you may want to look for this issue at your local library.
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