BY JACOB EVERETT
SILVER SPRINGS—For several years, Bri and Spec White have been locked in a bitter battle over their son, Genesis. The couple have spent the last few years painting unflattering images of one another as bad parents. Their marriage was always tense with Bri accusing Spec of being too open while her husband countered that she was too old-school.
The Whites were divided by child-raising methods with Bri favoring an authoritarian approach and insisted on a literal reading of parenting books. Meanwhile, Spec opted for a more laissez-faire style and considered these parenting books as relics. The couple also found other reasons to argue, often ignoring Genesis while claiming to have his best interests at heart.
Their bickering took its toll and the couple soon became estranged, barely talking to each other and sleeping in opposite ends of the house. Any interaction now involves shouting and finger pointing with both claiming to be better parents. Relatives and close friends had been noticing these tendencies.
“We came to celebrate Genesis’ birth and congratulate them. I asked them how he was born. Bri said that Genesis was a direct gift from God. Spec wasn’t happy with her response though and chimed in, saying that Genesis was the product of a meticulous, human process. For goodness sakes, they even argued over how many birth stories Genesis had– the official one or the two separate accounts by both parents! Throughout their argument, they seemed to forget that they now had a beautiful baby boy who should be loved and appreciated instead of fixating on the circumstances of his birth,” said Jack Doukane, godfather to Genesis.
As Genesis continued to grow, both husband and wife demonstrated a curious inability and unwilligness to pay attention to their blossoming son, instead finding creative new reasons to argue.
“I remember when Genesis took his first step. Bri argued that it wasn’t a step unless he literally lifted both feet and made forward progress. Meanwhile, Spec countered that Genesis had been walking all along since he considered any kind of upright motion to be walking. They ended up calling each other names and forgot that they should be sharing this special moment with their son,” said Dick Chan, a family friend.
Another argument centered on how long it took Genesis to say his first word, whether he learned gradually over several months or if it happened in an instant. Neither couple seemed willing to celebrate the milestone, choosing to focus on how long it had taken him to speak.
“There was another time when Genesis asked for a bowl of cereal. Bri was adamant that Genesis wanted it at that instant while Spec insisted that he wanted it later and that when Genesis said, ‘now’, he really meant fifteen minutes. Throughout their argument, they forgot that Genesis had asked for cereal and neither ended up getting him any. They both ignored him,” said Doukane.
The arguments often got nasty with both resorting to choice words in bouts of mudslinging. Once in a fit of rage over Genesis’ curfew, Bri accused her husband of being too permissive and that he didn’t love their son. Spec responded by complaining that she was going to hamper her son with an Oedipal complex due to her unrelenting severity.
Their behavior has left Genesis feeling neglected.
“I wished they’d pay more attention to me instead of fighting with each other. While they’re busy arguing, they don’t bother talking to me. I wish they could set aside their childish behavior and act rationally. Can’t they just love me for who I am and rejoice in my existence instead of arguing about me?”
