Page 23 - SB-Tanya the Tattling Rattler

In number five, you don’t tell on your brother when he does something that is strictly forbidden. You did not tell because you told yourself something like, “I can’t tell on him because we have to stick together” or “If I tell on him, he will be angry and will tell on me when he gets the chance.”
I am sure that you recognize that this type of thinking is Stinky. If something is strictly forbidden, then it should be based on Good Thinking and is a rule designed to protect you. By being overly concerned about sticking together or him telling on me, you are letting your Stinky Thinking cause you to have Not OK emotions and Thumbs Down behavior.
In the story, it was fairly easy to see how foolish, Tanya was being with her tattling. In your life however, it will be much more difficult. You will not magically wake up one morning knowing when you should tell on someone and when you shouldn’t. You will not wake up with the willingness to do what is right even if it will upset your friends.
It takes time and a lot of effort to be able to evaluate a situation and use Good Thinking to come up with Thumbs Up behavior. Often times, doing this will make you feel uncomfortable or fearful. It is at these times that you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that your decision and behavior is based on Good Thinking. If others get upset about it, it is their problem, not yours. By doing this, you will develop CHARACTER ... and that is a most prized possession.
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