I try my best to ignore constant tattling or to make light of it. One day I had a girl come up to me and say “Ms. Ceri. Johnny is crawling around on the playground like he’s a dog.” I laughed and said “Well, I guess that’s what Johnny likes to do! Why don’t you go do what you like to do.”
I also try to explain beforehand the difference in telling to get someone else into trouble (tattling) or to help keep someone safe/out of trouble (reporting).
Once I had a girl who liked to tattle to the parents about their child. She once informed a mom that her child had pooped in his pants on the playground and told a dad that his child had had two time outs for not having listening ears on.

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