Tattling Should Be Celebrated, Not Dismissed

a note from one of our owners, Ms. Alissa

We heard something from a student the other day that we felt was important to share with families. A child told a teacher that someone had hurt him, and another child responded by saying he was “tattling,” as though speaking up was something negative.

We want to be thoughtful about the message we send children regarding tattling. While the word itself often carries a negative connotation, at its core it simply means telling a trusted adult when something does not feel right. That is something we want children to feel safe and comfortable doing.

As parents and educators, we understand that it can sometimes feel overwhelming to sort through every concern children bring forward. But we also know that we would always rather hear more and help children work through it than hear less and have a child carry something difficult on their own. It is also not our role to minimize how something feels to a child, even if it may seem small to us.

Today, the concern may be that someone colored on a paper that did not belong to them. Another day, it may be something much bigger. We never want children to feel that speaking up when something feels wrong is the wrong thing to do.

We want children to know - if something hurts your heart or your body, say something. If you see someone else being hurt in their heart or body, say something. Speaking up is not wrong - it is how children learn to advocate for themselves and care for one another.