#henry being happy and thriving (or at least with no consideration given otherwise)

[nicollekidman]

not that i'm happy about the ending (fuck that divorcee cope strategy from jsuds) but ted still has a young son who's struggling with his dad moving halfway across the world i can't imagine ted making a better choice...

rebecca literally had a ten point plan as to how it could’ve worked like. i get that people are like “what did you want him to do, abandon his son???” but also like tbh having your dad leave a group of people you also loved, and a sport you loved rooting for him in, to go back to your mom who just was dating someone else to have his whole life revolve around you is like. it’s own burden. like sorry but they were all fine with him leaving them to give michelle space so idk why the only thing that would’ve made ted a Good Dad to his son was following his shitty mom’s guilt trip back to the place he was in before the show started. and also like. henry isn’t a real kid. the hi is a narrative consideration and not a “is this child being taken care of 🥺” problem.

also AGAIN this is a problem with the writing and the showing not telling because???? we are never once given an indication that henry is lacking ANYTHING or struggling at all with ted gone!!!!!! when he visits, he’s engaged, he’s with the team, he’s having a ball. they facetime regularly. ted is going to parent teacher conferences. henry is using ted’s advice to resolve conflicts at school. henry is always answering the phone and happy to talk to ted. i understand that IN REAL LIFE kids can put on a happy face when they’re suffering but in this show??? narratively???? we have only seen henry very active and engaged and happy, and he has never asked ted to come home or insinuated he resented ted. the first inkling of that came from his mother, who spent her entire appearance dodging responsibility for her own actions and trying to get ted back with kansas. if they wanted ted to Go Back To His Son To Raise Him Right then that should’ve been an emotional and plot through line of (at least) this season, instead of ted obsessing over michelle’s boyfriend to the point that he’s leaving henry alone at the pub with beard to wallow. tbh. at most ted says “i miss my kid” and that’s the end of it. so really like. it feels like a lazy way to get ted out of there and end it and keep ted a good guy.