Search Helium

Home > Creative Writing > Reflections

Reflections: Dealing with family gossip

by Linda Ann Nickerson

Created on: April 11, 2007   Last Updated: April 23, 2007

Chewing the fat? Dishing the dirt? Flapping the lips? Talking trash? Families can be a haven of healthy happiness or a quagmire of critical comments.

Basic tools for combating family gossip are as simple as A-B-C:

Absolutely resist the urge to listen to derogatory remarks and none-of-your-business comments from or about members of your family. Losing a ready ear may discourage tongue-waggers.

Bite your own tongue. Refuse to ruminate over rumors about relatives. Reject the temptation to air one another's dirty laundry, even within your own family circle. By doing so, you may start a new trend. Besides, gossip begets more gossip, and you surely don't want to leave yourself open to retaliation.

Cover your own butt. Stop the scuttlebutt before it happens. Try to avoid improprieties, and give the gossips no fuel for their fiery tongues. Without being paranoid, try to keep your nose clean, at least around your family. Share no secrets that you do not want shared! Many a confidence has quickly been transformed into chitchat.

111783_m Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

268943

Featured Partner

GROW Africa

GROW Africa Mission: To provide wells, vaccines and food for farming in the remote villages of Africa to meet the most basic human needs of the villagers reducing death and disease while increasing quality and longevity of life. GROW...more


CONNECT WITH US

Read
our blog
Helum for writers

Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills

Join our active writing community
Helium Content Source for Publishers

Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all

Get custom content today!

INFORMATION


Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA
#