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In a message dated 12/13/04 8:48:32 PM, nishamartin@... writes:

<< WHat we have done so far is to

come up with a definition of tattling and telling. At our house,

tattling is when you are trying to get someone INTO trouble, and

telling is when you are trying to stop trouble. IF you aren't sure,

come tell, because it's better to tell when you shouldn't than to

not tell when you should. >>

Maybe it would be better not to even use the term "telling."
There's another phrase for tattling which is "to tell on" someone.

Maybe instead of defining what a child is doing when he wants to talk to his
mom, it should just be "talking to his mom."

The current issue of People Magazine has an article on the final defense in
Scott Peterson's trial, the statements made by those appealing for life
imprisonment over the death sentence. Scott's brother, John Peterson, is quoted as
saying this:

"He was a great kid brother. He hardly ever told on me."

A younger brother praised for not discussing with his mother what another
sibling was doing that was bad.

Huh.

If I were a judge or attorney involved with that, I would immediately assume
that John Peterson's opinion/testimony was worth very little, as his
definition of "a great brother" involved "not telling."

It was a very bad statement to have made. And it reflects badly on the
mother, from my point of view.

Sandra