Teaching the Children About Tattling
Geronimo was sitting on his favorite swing between to lollipop trees, just enjoying the beautiful day. It was then that he heard the crying and shouting from earth. He recognized the voices and knew it was his children.
This was a school day and he could not understand why they were making such a fuss. With great dispatch he grabbed his fairy wings and called for a moonbeam {rather like calling a taxi} He continued to listen intently but still could not make out the reason for all the commotion.
In the wink of an eye he was soon flying toward earth. He had dialed earth:::Florida because that was his destination. His friend the beam put him right at the school. It was recess time and all the children were on the playground or nearby. He looked and looked for his children but he was so small the kids seem like giants.
He followed the sound and it lead him to a group of girls, at first he thought they were playing but soon found out they were fighting. He was horrified that they would be punching and trying to hurt one another.
His girls were just watching but then one could not take it any longer and she went to tell the teacher. The teacher intervened and stopped the fight by taking one girl to the principals office and another one to the school nurse.
However, the incident was not over. Unfortunately children can be cruel and they turned on the girl who went for help calling her a tattle-tale.
They taunted loudly and even threatened to beat her up. With this Geronimo could not tolerate anymore so he reached in his satchel and
brought out an object that resembled a fire cracker though it really wasn't, instead it just let out a sound like a backfire of a car and snapped fairy dust that was loaded with common sense and niceness. Whether they wanted to or not their attitudes changed for a least a short period of time.
Sadly the effect would not be permanent. So Geronimo talked sternly to his children and talked about children who tattle. Even though it was important to break up the fight there must have been another way to handle the situation. The children came up with some answers. Some good and some bad one of the boys said ring the fire alarm then they decided that was not so good. One of the girls said to ask the teacher
to check the whole playground for she had lost something. They decided that was not the way for it entailed telling a lie. Finally it was decided to all walk away and not give an audience to the fight. Then it was decided that was the way but to later in privacy talk to the counselor about fighting.
The moral was not to tattle no matter what occurs. There is a difference between tattling and warning of danger.
Now it is time for Geronimo to head home. His friend Beam was waiting and Geronimo had to give a report to the Big Boss.
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