Before my parents returned to Texas, after two months in Minnesota since Mom's back surgery at the Mayo Clinic, we all sat around my brother's dining room table and had a conversation with Sammy...twice.
Conversation #1 (Prompted by Sammy's comment that I was Diane's "friend.")
Aunt Annie: Where's Daddy's mom?
Sammy : Right there. (as he pointed his finger to Grandma)
Aunt Annie: Where's my mom?
Sammy: Home. (laughter all around the table)
Aunt Annie: Where's Diane's mom?
Sammy: Home. (laughter again.)
Aunt Annie: Grandma is my mom.
Sammy: No, she's Daddy's mom.
Aunt Annie: Grandma is Diane's Mom, too.
Sammy: NO! She's Daddy's mom!
Aunt Diane enters the conversation.
Diane (while holding up 4 fingers): Grandma had 4 babies. Baby Annie (she points at me), Baby Diane (pointing to herself), Baby David and Baby Paul (she points to Sammy's daddy). So, she is Annie's mom, my mom, David's mom and Daddy's mom.
Sammy: No. Grandma is Daddy's mom.
Grandma, with her hand on Aunt Diane's shoulder, speaks...
Grandma: Diane is my daughter.
Diane: Grandma is my mom, Sammy!
Sammy: No, Grandma is Daddy's mom.
Grandma: Daddy is my son and Diane is my daughter.
Sammy: No. Daddy's my son and Diane's my daughter.
Grandma (with a laugh) : Aunt Diane is my daughter.
Sammy (about to cry and with his bottom lip sticking out like a bird perch): NO! SHE'S MY DAUGHTER! (Imagine...all adults in the room, trying to keep from roaring with laughter.)
So, ended lesson 101 on moms, dads and children.
Conversation #2 (one week later)
Aunt Annie: Where's Daddy's mom?
Sammy: Right there. (finger pointing at Grandma)
Aunt Annie: Where's my mom?
Sammy: Your mom is at home. ("at home" was said with emphasis!)
Aunt Annie: Where's Diane's mom?
Sammy: Diane's mom is at home. (strong emphasis again on the same phrase)
Aunt Annie (pointing at Grandma): My mom is right there.
Sammy: No, that's Daddy's mom.
Aunt Annie: And, right next to my mom is my dad.
Sammy: No, that's Daddy's dad.
Sammy wasn't buying any of it. Grandma and Grandpa belonged to Daddy, only Daddy, and that was that. They could only have one kid and that was Daddy.
We decided to wait until he believes us about moms and dads before we teach him about brothers and sisters.
