"YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT KID...FOR GOOD..." in “LIFE IN THE TIMES OF CORONA: On A Mass Exile”

That’s right. There’s your bad news. You may not believe me, which is fine. After all, I’m still single and childless. What the hell do I know, right?

Right??

You’re going to lose that kid. I’m not kidding. I don’t want to scare you like this, but a little heads-up will probably keep you on your toes.

It all starts from your sense of possessiveness over them. They’re yours, so you can do whatever you feel like to them. You simply exercise your totalitarian authority over them, whether they like it or not. Who cares, right?

“Oh, but it’s for their own good! They still can’t think for themselves.”

Maybe they can’t…at first, when they’re still little. You have to guide them because it’s part of your role. Too bad, there’s no 100% guaranteed, an accurate manual for that. Oh, I’m sorry. I guess I’m being too harsh on you.

However, I’m not joking. I know what I’m saying. I’ve seen similar cases around me.

A lot of people make that same mistake. They forget that everyone grows up. When one does, they start having a mind of their own. They all do. You can’t stop or even slow the process down.

You don’t want to lose your powers over that kid, do you? You want the kid to obey you forever instead of being their own person. After all, you’re preparing them to be the mini version of you, the pawn.

So you try everything when the kid starts arguing, talking back – basically saying ‘no’ to some of your demands. It doesn’t matter that the kid is still trying their best to please you in other ways they can. For you, it’s not enough. Is it ever going to be good enough? You’ll always end up wanting more.

Then come to threats and the guilt trips from you. You even play the religion card too, telling them they’ll end up in hell if they choose to defy you. No dialogues whatsoever. They must do as you please, do what you say. No debates. End of discussion.

If the kid obeys you, then congrats. For how long? Beats me. If you’re lucky, they’ll obey you for as long as you live. That’s what you want, right? It doesn’t matter that they can’t think for themselves, not even for once.

Guess what? The kid may obey you at first, to a certain extent. They seem a perfect, quiet pawn for a while.

Believe me, once they see a chance to completely break free and fly away, they will do it. They won’t hesitate to take that very first step before they finally run off and leave you behind. They’ll disappear, just to breathe and escape the pain you’ve inflicted on them for so damn long.

After that, you start wondering what has gone so wrong. Doesn’t the kid love you? Doesn’t the kid feel your love for them too?

I’m afraid it’s too late now. You’ve lost that kid for good. There’s no homecoming to you.

R.