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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.

Learn more about this author, Linda Ann Nickerson.
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