Being a good sport means not getting friends in trouble over small things. But some things a grown-up must know. How can you tell the difference?
Key idea
Telling is getting help when someone is hurt, in danger, or being unkind. Tattling is trying to get someone in trouble over something small.
Why it works
Grown-ups need to know when someone could get hurt, so they can help. Small things, like a purple sky in a drawing, are not a problem.
Ask yourself one question: Could someone get hurt? If the answer is yes, or if someone is being unkind, tell a grown-up right away.
Worked example: Let's practice
Omar is climbing the fence near the busy street. Should Hana tell a grown-up?
- Could someone get hurt? Yes.
- So this is telling, not tattling.
- Hana gets a grown-up right away.
Answer: Yes. Hana tells a grown-up.
Common mistake
Stopping telling grown-ups about real problems because someone said “Don't tattle.” If someone could get hurt, always tell.
For the grown-up. Use the question “Is someone hurt, in danger, or being unkind?” When your child reports something small, help them solve it themselves; when it is real, thank them for telling.