Actress Anita Yuen Wing-yee recently disclosed in an interview that she once had a rocky relationship with her son Morton Cheung, who expressed a desire for his father -- singer and actor Julian Cheung Chi-lam -- to find him a different mother.
In a YouTube interview, Yuen shared that her strict parenting style, rooted in her upbringing in a police family, ultimately affected her connection with her son.
"It was a wake-up call hearing my son say he wanted to change his mother," Yuen noted. She recalled that the incident occurred when Morton was around 6 or 7 years old, in which her husband reassured her that everything would be fine, promising to take on the role of the "bad parent" the next day.
However, Yuen humorously remarked that her husband had never been strict with their son, leaving her to play the role of the disciplinarian.
Realizing that maintaining her parenting style would only deepen their distance, Yuen began to learn from her husband how to communicate better with Morton.
"I was a failed parent"
"I was a failed parent," Yuen admitted, adding that her demanding nature and high expectations had placed excessive pressure on her son, which led to his struggles in school and a request for a medical evaluation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Following a diagnosis, Yuen recognized that she was overly self-centred and had unintentionally pushed her son, hurting his emotions and affecting his behaviour.
Understanding that parents are not always right, she made a concerted effort to repair her relationship with Morton, gradually fostering a more friend-like bond by listening to his thoughts.
As Morton grew older, Yuen became concerned about the possibility of early romance, recalling when she secretly followed him on dates, sitting nearby with her husband in restaurants to keep an eye on him.
Prepares for independence
Renowned for inheriting his mother's looks, Yuen revealed that Morton also shares her straightforward personality. She shared an incident during a restaurant visit when he bluntly questioned her beauty in front of strangers, leaving her embarrassed and angry whenever she thought about it.
Additionally, Yuen mentioned that Morton will study abroad next year and is interested in music composition. Despite her concerns about his future, she believes it is important for him to become independent.
"The most important thing is for him to be happy and find his passion," Yuen said, recognizing that it's time for her son to explore his life and take responsibility for his choices.
Believing it is time for her child to explore his life, Yuen added the child is now old enough to take responsibility for his life choices.
