IM TELLING - THE CONTENT, CONTEXT, AND CONSEQUENCES OF CHILDRENS TATTLING ON THEIR SIBLINGS

Tattling on siblings was observed in 40 families with 2- and 4-year-ol d children. All bur 5 children reported sibling misbehaviour to parent s with younger siblings tattling largely to recruit parental help in r esolving conflict issues, and older siblings rattling both in the cont ext of conflict and merely to inform parents of their siblings' misbeh aviour. Parents rarely reprimanded children for tattling, but either i gnored it, or responded to information in tattlers' reports regardless of context or whether older or younger children tattled. Children did not tattle equally on all sibling transgressions, but emphasised phys ical aggression and property damage, issues that also elicited parenta l discipline. Tattling is discussed in relation to children's understa nding of the dynamics and moral standards of family life.