Sep 30, 2008 10:52 pm US/Central
In The Know: Talk To Your Kids About... What?
(WCCO)
All parents must face the moment when they must have the conversation with their children. Don Shelby said it is not the conversation about drugs and sex. It is a conversation WCCO's Amelia Santaniello and Frank Vascellaro have failed to have with their youngest son.
A child should know his or her real name before the teacher springs it on them for the first time.
Since he was born, Joe has been called Joe, or Jo-Jo, or Joey. Monday, the six year old, with quivering voice and tears in his eyes, asked to speak to his parents alone.
Standing there, in a puddle of tears and betrayal, Joe asked his mom and dad why they never told him that his real name was Joseph.
Why would they hide that from him? Why would they keep that a secret? The teacher had called him Joseph. That's what it said on the roster. Now, Joe said, other children were calling him Joseph. Calling him by someone else's name.
For the record his given name is Joseph, but somehow it had never been explained. Amelia said, "Honey, when I'm mad at you, don't I call you Joseph Vascellero?" He didn't remember that.
In defense of Jo-Jo, when Amelia is mad, it is a little hard to follow what she's saying.
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