#if your answer is “kesler's just too good/pure of a dad” . . . idk man isn't that what you just said about alden. what makes him different

[the-way-astray]

i've seen a fair amount of people that have a take that's something along the lines of "alden isn't abusive/toxic/a bad parent but i like exploring that in fic, so i often characterize him like that anyway" and i'm so curious as to why these people are not extending this same purposeful character assassination to other parents, like grady, or even kesler, and why it seems to be an only alden thing /gen

[lotusishere]

I agree with what you’re saying. You tore down. I always saw it as a generational trauma thing. The passed down trauma of having overwhelming pressure on you. Everyone’s eyes staring at you and what’s worse is that the”Vacker legacy” is already held high. So to be worthy or good enough you have to aim HIGHER. Which is hard to do because taking risks to do things others aren’t could put them lower (if it fails). Alden is a good parent in his own aspect. He provides support, shelter, food and water (I’m sorry I’m making his children sound like plants lmfao). But not every parent is perfect. As he is struggling with the pressure to be perfect so are his children. Because of what he’s been taught it’s not the BEST to pass down. But it’s all he knows. Which is a flaw on his own. The only time I thought he was jawdroppingly crazy was when they let Alvar go. The heavy side eye I gave the page was not cute. But at the same time i get it but SIGHHHHHH. I wish he would sometimes focus on the effect something will have on his children than their legacy or how people view them. I feel like that’s where he lacks as a parent. I’m not gonna say he’s a monster or the worst parent there cuz I think we ALL know WHO deserves that. COUGH COUGH KEEFE’S PARENTS COUGH COUGH.

They’re all good dads but they parent in their own way. Grady is a very different parent from Kesler and Alden. Kesler and Grady are kinda similar. They both just love their kids no matter how the world might see them. You see it with Grady and Sophie and the small scenes with Jolie he had. Grady is the type to give up EVERYTHING for his kids. If they go down he goes down with them. You saw it when he took the blame for Sophie in the first book saying he mesmered her.

Kesler is HUGELY different because I feel like Kesler tries to be a good dad more because of his upbringing. Kesler is talentless. He doesn’t have as good view on him already and when he had kids the possibly of them being talentless was there. It’s something he doesn’t want his kids to go through because of how exclusive their world is. So he loves them the best way he can to try to protect them. But at the same time he knows he can’t at the same time.

Alden’s parenting style is using tips he grew up with and passes them down. But he doesn’t really see how he grew up wasn’t necessarily the best. It’s not the worst but it’s still ehHhHh. They are all preparing their children for what the world has to offer. Grady’s protection physically, Keslers protection emotionally and Alden’s protection mentally.

What really balances them out or shows more of the parenting style is their partners though. They’re not parents by themselves. At least that’s how I see it. I ADORE talking about the parents in KOTLC.

i've seen a fair amount of people that have a take that's something along the lines of "alden isn't abusive/toxic/a bad parent but i like exploring that in fic, so i often characterize him like that anyway" and i'm so curious as to why these people are not extending this same purposeful character assassination to other parents, like grady, or even kesler, and why it seems to be an only alden thing /gen