"The Boy"

Lately I have been refering to Charlie as "The Boy". My wife has informed me that she does not like me calling him that. She said, "His name is Charlie or Charles!" I find it kind of funny because my mother hates it when people call me something other than Michael. "The Wife" calls me Mike and receives the "his name is Michael glare" from my mother. I find it funny how upset mothers get when you do not call their children by their given name.

We all have nick names that are typically given to us as children and they usually stick throughout adulthood. No one says anything about people calling me "Hop" or "Lil' Hop". So what is it about the shortened versions of our name that drives our mother's crazy? I don't call Charlie "Chuck". It has been made very clear that "Chuck" is not an approved name for "The Boy".

I don't mind people calling Mike or Hop. I am sure that Charlie won't mind being called "The Boy". He may think that it is pretty cool that Daddy calls him by a special name.The word "The" is a definite article that indicates a particular person, the best or most important. Charlie will one day realize this and think, "WOW, I am the ONE! Daddy said so."

I know that it sounds kind of plain to say "The Boy", but I think it's pretty cool. Maybe one day he can take over my nickname of "The Kid"!