Step 1: Think!
Note for supervising adult: The same route as that taken when tattling and telling were discussed, is taken with regard to teasing where the quality of friendship focused on is not hurting one’s special friends first, then one’s friends in general, then others who are not friends. The objective is to distinguish between two kinds of teasing; the affectionate kind and the hurting kind. The intention of the teaser is highlighted but the point is also made that even teasing not intended to hurt may be hurtful, so that it is important to think first.

Have you ever been teased? Who teased you? How did they tease you? How did you feel when you were being teased?

Step 2:
Why do you think children sometimes tease each other?
Can you give examples of how children tease each other?

Step 3:
Is it ever right to tease someone? Let us look at these examples:
1. Paul and Mahmoud were walking to school. At school they put their satchels and lunch boxes on the ground and went to play. Paul took Mahmoud’s luch box and hid it. When the bell rang, Mahmoud was puzzled because he knew he had not forgotten the lunch box at home. When Paul saw that Mahmoud was worrying, he gave him the lunch box and told him that he had hid it as a joke. Mahmoud laughed with Paul and they went to class.
2. Samantha went to Leila’s house so that they could do their homework together. When Samantha packed her things to go home, she took Leila’s homework copybook with her. Leila only noticed that the copybook was missing when she was at school. She started crying. The teacher thought that Leila had not done her homework and this was just an excuse. Leila was punished. Samantha slipped the copybook in Leila’s satchel when she was not looking and did not say anything.
What is the difference between these two cases?
When children tease each other, is it always meant as a joke, or whether it is sometimes meant to hurt others?
Is the intention of the teaser important?
Could it be that even when teasing is not intended to be hurtful, it could still hurt?

Concluding activity
Write a sentence which shows why teasing should not hurt.