Let’s face it, no one likes a gossip.
We all know that one person who always seems to spread drama or misinformation about others, the one who loves to keep rumors going.
And when that person comes around, everyone becomes silent or backs away. Moms, do not let your child grow into that person!
Gossip is harmful and can even become dangerous. The last thing you want is for your child to get caught up in the gossip mill.
Here are 3 ways on how you can stop your child from becoming the town gossip:
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Show Them The Consequences: Moms, this is a great time to teach your child the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12).
Use this opportunity to explain to your gossip how hurtful gossip can be, and have your child place themselves in another’s shoes to see what it feels like.
Parents also recommend pointing out the consequences of gossip:
“Tell your child, ‘If you gossip a lot about other people, kids are more likely to gossip about you,'” says Dr. Frey.
Also let her know that there are other ways besides gossiping to have close friendships, and that doing cool things with her buddies will be a lot more fun than sitting around yakking.
Then suggest ideas such as coming up with a project for charity together, signing up for a sports team, or even forming a Minecraft club. Adds Dr. McDonald: “Helping your child and her friends find other entertaining things to do can be a natural way to discourage gossip behavior.”
By helping your child come up with alternative activities other than gossiping you are helping them to become a fun and interesting person!
At the end of the day, no one likes a busybody. Teaching your child this important skill at an early age will save them much heartache in the long run.
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Be An Example: Let’s face it, your child observes you more than you may realize.
Do you often engage in gossip with your husband or friends? If so, your child may be picking up more than you realize.
Some moms even gossip about others to their child and treat their child as a confident, rather than a child.
This puts unnecessary pressure and stress on the child, as they are forced to filter out and make sense of what is actually happening.
If you vent in a burst of anger, your child might not know you are currently just upset with the object of your gossip and may, in turn, grow to have resentment for that person too.
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Teach Them How To Respond: It’s inevitable your child will be exposed to gossip at some point during their lives.
But if you train your child what to say and how to respond, you empower and equip them.
If your child mentions a conversation or rumor they heard over school, teach them how to get out of sticky situations.
Parents reported:
“Even though some kids rarely start rumors, they may find it hard to resist listening to them or repeating them, says Dr. Kennedy-Moore.
“Explain to your child that the facts get mixed up as gossip spreads from person to person and that it’s just as unkind to pass along rumors as it is to come up with them,” she says.
Propose comebacks for him to say the next time he’s on the receiving end of a piece of gossip, like “Well, he only says nice things about you” or “That’s really none of my business.
This skill will teach your child at a young age how to be the bigger person. If your child can defuse situations, and redirect a conversation towards something positive, you are teaching your child to contribute to solutions, not spread misinformation.
One important caveat is to make sure you teach your child the difference between what is “gossip”, and what is important to tell.
If your child tells you their friend confessed to being abused at home, or some other type of tragic event, instruct your child to bring this information to you, not another student. Teach them in situations like this; always share information so you can discern how to proceed.
Gossip and rumors destroy lives and damage reputations.
By teaching your child to avoid the rumor mill, you are developing a leadership and maturity in them, even at a young age.
Do you think gossip and rumors are a problem in schools today?
What advice do you have to other moms on how to teach their kids to stop gossiping?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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