School suspended my young son for kissing a boy

Dear Coleen,

MY son, who is five, grabbed his friend at school and kissed him on the lips.

The boy’s parents complained and my son has been suspended.

I asked my son why he did it and he said he wanted to kiss his friend “like Robert did on Emmerdale”.

There’s never been any indication he feels like this – he kisses girls as well. Also, I haven’t told my husband and don’t know how to handle it.

Coleen says..

I THINK it’s a disgrace that your son was suspended.

He’s only five years old and was copying something he’d seen on TV.

This is an overreaction from the other boy’s parents and from the school.

You should tell your husband and then demand a meeting with the head teacher at the school to ask them to explain their extreme measures.

You don’t want your son growing up thinking he has done something bad. At his age they are so innocent. My niece, who is four, will strip naked and run around.

Of course you need to let them know about appropriate behaviour, but it’s a natural learning curve.

If you don’t get the answers you want, get on to your local authority and get them to deal with it.

If you have a problem, write to: Dear Coleen, Daily Record, One Central Quay, Glasgow G3 8DA or email dearcoleen@dailyrecord.co.uk. I cannot reply personally.