Love is Not Enough
Dear Frankie,
I can’t believe the things Vinny gets away with. No matter how many tests he fails, the fights he gets into, or the mean things he says, he never gets in trouble at home.
Vinny can do no wrong in his mother’s eyes. When she meets with his teachers, guidance counselors, or the principal, she offers all sorts of excuses for his behavior and says, “He’s failing his tests because the teacher doesn’t know how to teach.”
“What was he supposed to do? Let the other dog beat him up?”
“Can’t anybody take a joke; he was only kidding.”
Some of the dogs at school think Vinny’s mom is a riot and wish their moms were more like her.
I’m not convinced. If his mom keeps making excuses for him, how will he learn to study, pass a test, or get along and make friends?
Charm
Dear Charm,
I agree Vinny’s mom is not doing him any favors by blaming others for his failures and faults. She is letting him down by not expecting him to act appropriately and study for his tests.
The actual crime here is that Vinny will be the one to bear the brunt of his mom’s poor parenting skills. He won’t be asked to play, join a team, or be invited to birthday parties and sleepovers.
I hope the daycare staff will see that their energies would be better spent teaching Vinny how to study, get along with his peers, and praise him for his accomplishments, rather than wasting their time meeting with his mother to discuss issues she neither has the skills nor desire to correct.
Best, Frankie
© 2025 Geneva Woodruff
Comments and letters can be sent to Frankie at dearfrankiecolumn@gmail.com. The Fairhaven Neighborhood News publishes the Dear Frankie column. To receive a free online subscription, readers can email neighbnews@comcast.net, request their name be added to the email list or visit www.neighbnews.com to read the paper online or to download the latest issue.
•••
Click here to download the 02/27/25 issue: 02-27-25 Puppies
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal
