I am guilty of tattle tailing mostly under the age of ten. There is no excuse for it, we teach our children it is not the appropriate behavior and try to instill in them integrity. As a middle child in a large family who grappled for attention I learned at a tender young age that tattle tailing landed me front and center with my parents just where I wanted to be.
Now, in my mid-forties and a parent, who on occasion deals with this issue with my own children, I am learning pay back is sometimes a bitch. I expect this behavior to crop up with battling siblings and their quest for attention or simple need to be right all the time. But I resent it from adults. Yesterday, an underling went over my head. Not that I did a bad thing but just to put it out there the boss’ choice did not match up with the employee’s view.
I know it’s called insubordination and can be grounds for a pink slip and if it were not a relative, who needs the job, I would have let her go. But……family, ah, we got to love them……
As a grownup tattle tailing labels you a whiner and quite frankly an immature person. It drives me crazy, simply. The strive in an individual who feels justified and right by spilling the beans only makes them look bad and juvenile. The attention garnered is not exactly the Norman Rockwell attention you’re seeking. As a matter of fact, my mom knew me so well that just before my dad walked in the door she warned me to zip my lips, I didn’t heed her advice, quite frankly it was hard to do as an eight year old. But slowly after witnessing let’s say heated discussions between my parents I began to change tactics to get the attention I so well deserved.
So, to all those grownups compelled to tattle tail on another stop being so juvenile. You have an issue, address in a mature fashion to the person in question or ZIP YOUR LIPS.
