Gossip Schmossip

One thing I was not looking forward to, when I went back to work, was the gossip. You can't avoid it. It's everywhere, even as a stay at home mom. It's among family members, church goers and even at the checkout line at the store.

But, I knew, from experience, that I would be surrounded by it now.

When I was a teenager, I worked as a hotel housekeeper and there was gossip among the other housekeepers. Who didn't mop their floor on their hands and knees, who got caught smoking in the laundry room,  even who was dating whom.

In my 20s, I worked retail. Most of that gossip was about partying and again, dating.

After I was married, before I had kids, I worked in a beauty salon. Need I say more? 

Now, I work with everything from 19 yr. olds, girls and boys both, and grown-ups.  I've tried so very hard to just do my work and go home. But, it's difficult.  People can so easily get upset when someone else doesn't take out their trash. Or takes an extra 2 min. on their lunch break.  Or get their feelings hurt when a facebook friend request isn't accepted (not kidding!). 

Like I said, I'm trying to stay out of it. But, I do make comments to other workers about another worker. It's hard not to! 

Then, I get paranoid when I see a facebook status about back stabbers and two facers. I go back through conversations I had the night before with someone and second guess everything.

It's like being in high school junior high all over again!!

But, it's made me realize that I want to teach my children to think about what comes out of their mouths. If you can't say something to someone's face, don't say it at all. 

Maybe it will save them from catching the gossip bug!