Cure for Tattle-itis

There is an epidemic at our house. We have aptly named it TATTLE-ITIS and it is endangering the very lives of my children due to my increasingly negative reactions to this ridiculously annoying condition. In order to save my sanity and ensure the safety of my children, I came up with an idea that actually works (a rare occurence, hence my need to share). We call it the Tattle Jar. In the jar are strips of paper and a few pencils. Here are the rules: If whatever you are about to tell mom about a sibling is TRULY important, write it on a slip of paper & we'll read, discuss, & decide on consequences at dinner. For the first few days, the jar was filled with a flurry of complaints, meticulously written. Then, an amazing thing happened (perhaps due to writer's cramp?)! Most problems that had previously been of enormous importance suddenly became non-issues! We now go days without a new complaint! It truly is a miracle cure. I can almost guarantee the outcome (as long as you stick to your guns & refuse to listen to verbal reports). It could very well change your life, as it changed mine. Perhaps I'll have a different story to tell in a month or so, but for now: All Hail to the Tattle Jar!
Here are a select few gems from our jar (spelling and punctuation have been standardized)

• Seth said, "Tickle Tickle" when I didn't want it
• Rob said I was Sandwich Man
• Seth hurt Caleb & he was crying, & Seth called me a Platypus
• Emma said I couldn't keep MY car; she said, "Too Bad!"
• I said Seth was scared of mirrors . . & I was on my skateboard & he pushed me off