A lot of tattling goes on in kindergarten. A lot. I have found that there are two different types of tattling: 1) tattling to protect oneself or one's friends from hurt or injury, and 2) tattling to get someone else in trouble.
Type 1 Tattling is totally fine with me! I'm happy to tell a kids to stop doing something if they are hurting someone or may potentially hurt someone. Usually I repond to this kind of tattling by saying, "Thank you for telling me" and will go to resolve the situation.
But Type 2 Tattling bugs me. I don't think it's a very healthy attribute to be going around trying to get others in trouble. Every kid in the class does things they are not supposed to and it really is not very nice to go around getting other kids in trouble, when I know that in just a few minutes they won't want anybody going to get them in trouble! Usually I respond to this kind of tattling by saying, "Just worry about yourself, I'm the teacher and I will take care of it." (Most of the time I am already aware of these kinds of situations anyway and have done something outside of the tattler's knowledge to address the issue.)
I've thought a lot about that phrase--"Just worry about yourself." I think that is so true in life. I think that is what Jesus was saying when He said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (3 Nephi 14:1). He's saying, don't worry about justice being given to others, just worry about trying your very hardest to apply mercy to everyone. If you don't want others trying to get you to pay for every little infraction you make, don't do the same to others.
I can also imagine Jesus saying to me when I'm thinking about whether or not people who have done bad things will pay for it, "Just worry about yourself, Abbi. I am God and I will take care of it." And really, what a relief to be able to pass that on to someone else (a perfect someone, nonetheless) and not have to worry about it. It's nice that we don't have to figure everything out, we just need to do our best. I am going to try really hard to "just worry about myself" when I'm tempted to think about others' injustices.
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4 comments:
Those communications (tattling type 1 and tattling type 2) are determined by what's in your heart. Always a good idea to check inside your own to see what's in there!
I think that is a very important lesson to learn and that I am trying hard to teach my boys - you control what YOU do, not what others do. You control your actions, thoughts, reactions, behavior, and attitude and lots of times we need to let the other person's behavior go. Like you said, not worry about it.
Thank you for your words of wisdom. They always get me thinking.
WOW Abbi!! THis is amazing. I needed it so badly tonight. Thank you so much for sharing this. it is sooo true.
What a great lesson! There have been many times while teaching my kids, I have understood the big picture a little better!
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