Parenthood – The Baxter Report

Prologue

In an attempt to improve my writing & scratch the creativity itch I’m going to attempt to write daily. Usually, I write when I’m feeling inspired…but that’s not that often anymore. So I’m going to prompt inspiration & see where it takes me. Today’s prompt is…

A Whispy Shadow Demon

My 6-year-old daughter is fearless. In her mind at least. Unfortunately, she has inherited her mother’s delusions of grandeur. She’s the best at everything and afraid of nothing. I love her very much, but this is an awful trait for ANY human to possess. But there you go.

Introducing Bendy

One day, while randomly flicking through Youtube I saw a thumbnail depicting (what I now know as) Bendy & The Ink Machine. For those of you who don’t know who or what this is, it’s basically (as Wikipedia will tell you)

An episodic first-person puzzle-action survival horror video game. The game follows Henry Stein, a retired animator who returns to his old animation studio from the 1930s, after an invitation from his old employer, and discovers a nightmare of cartoon characters seemingly brought to life by the titular Ink Machine.

It’s a wonderfully scripted game with iconic characters brought to life using a 1930s style of animation (think Steamboat Willie) I am slightly obsessed…but not as much as my daughter.

From Fear to Fandom

When she first saw him I could tell she was slightly suspicious of him. Yeah, he looked cute…but he definitely has a demonic look and feel to him too. I had no idea about him, so when she asked me who it was and what he did, I made up all kinds of horrific (or as horrific as I can be towards a 6-year-old girl) stories. Stories of how he would chase children in their dreams if they didn’t behave for their parents (I never said they were original stories!) And the usual ‘boogeyman’ tales we know and love.

The Journey Begins

One Friday night it was just me and her, and she asked me if I would tell her more about Bendy. I told her I would do one better. I hopped back onto YouTube and found some playthrough footage (without commentary) and we watched it together. Two hours later, she was in love. She was fascinated by each character & the journey they took. She instantly became a fan.

Curiosity Inspires The Kid

The very next day she wanted to watch it again, but this time she knew what to expect, so she was able to quiz me more on the plot and characters (she is only 6 years old remember) after another viewing she wanted to write about him (she’s an avid reader and I’m very proud to say she is reading at TWO levels higher than what she should be) so she did. Now, I’m not saying what she wrote makes any sense, but the passion is there. And nobody should ever mock or deny a passion to create, especially in a child. I will always continue to motivate and help push her creativity, because who knows where it will take her.

Thanks, Bendy.

Have you ever sat with a group of people who are talking about an issue you feel strongly about and one where it feels like they are a little ignorant of it (for one reason or another) and you want to chime in…but you don’t? If it were your friends that would be a different story, right? A group of strangers however…i’m not so sure. I personally feel I’d have to suss them out first (I’m not good with conflict, and lord knows how someone would react) Now imagine you’re on TV, and the person you want to interrupt is a guest from another department/segment of the show. Well, this exactly what GMB weatherman Alex Beresford did, and for that, he deserves some love.

Despite growing up in a rough part of West Yorkshire (where racial tension was, and still is, high) I can’t compare my childhood to his. That’s not what this is about. What I can relate to, however, is parenthood.

As a parent of a 6-year-old and a 9-month-old, it is my job to make sure they are respectable members of society, and that they stand tall for what they believe in. For someone like myself who suffers from anxiety and is super socially awkward…it’s much easier said than done. I don’t feel comfortable doing it myself, so how can I instal it in them? It’s a tricky one, but it’s one of the many ‘joys’ of parenthood.

When Alex Beresford stood up and spoke out for what he believed in, which was something he grew up in and around, I personally didn’t see the argument of prison and knife crime, I saw a father lead by example and show his child/children (you’ll have to excuse my ignorance as to how many he is a father too) that you shouldn’t sit back while other people make decisions on things they know nothing about. If you see injustice, stand tall & let it be known.

So thank you, Alex, from one father to another, for giving me a little more confidence in being able to do the right thing for my children.