Amy Perez bares her soul in a recent interview with Ogie Diaz for the latter's YouTube channel.
On September 18, 2023, the It's Showtime host got up close and personal about a topic that a lot of parents can relate to—letting their child go.
Read: Who among It's Showtime hosts drives the most expensive car?
The vlog opened with Amy discussing her initial thoughts about her son Adi Perez's choice to forge his own path.
"Dumating siya [Adi] dun sa point na 21 na siya, so nung nagpaalam siya na gusto niya nang mag-solo.
"Eto habang ginagawa ko ang showtime nang araw-araw, ha, na hindi alam din ng mga tao na may dagok yun for me, na yung anak ko gusto nang mag-solo.
"So nung sinabi ko yun sa mommy ko, sabi niya, 'E, bakit? Ikaw din naman, nag-ask ka din naman ng independence mo nung 21 ka.'
"'Parang pareho lang. So bakit hindi mo yun ibibigay sa anak mo?'"
Gradually, she decided to accept her son's decision.
"Hindi naman natin mapipigilan na yun. Kailangan ko rin i-respeto yung gusto nung anak ko."
EMPTY NEST SYNDROME
Psychology has coined the term "empty nest syndrome" to describe the phenomenon where parents, like Amy, grapple with feelings of grief and shock when their child/children move out of the home.
Amy related, "Siyempre, masakit yun for me, kasi lalo na sa case ni Adi, kasi for the longest time, kami yung magkasama, di ba?
"At alam ko din na may mga times noon nung medyo bata siya, na may mga naging decision ako na hindi niya gusto or nakita niya na nasaktan ako.
"And yet, nandun lang din siya.
"So nung time na nagpapaalam na siya, parang hindi ko matanggap na parang, 'Ha? Ba't siya aalis? Ba't siya magsasolo? May kulang ba sa akin? May mali ba,'" she would ask herself.
This is a common emotional pain experienced by parents, particularly when they realize that a lifestyle that was an integral part of their identity for so long has run its course.
"It was a very difficult decision for me during that time," she confessed.
"Lalo na nung nagsisimula ng magtanong yung mga netizens na, 'Bakit wala si Adi sa picture?,' 'Bakit hindi siya kasama?,' yung mga ganon.
"Masakit yun for me."
As terrifying as this change was in her life, the 54-year-old TV personality eventually realized, "Ah, dadating talaga sa punto na ang mga anak natin, para silang mga saranggola na kailangan mong paliparin.
"Yung ikaw lang yung nandun sa sinulid, ginaganun-ganun mo lang ng konti.
"Pero actually, gusto mo ng palayain.
"At alam mo namang dadating yung araw na you have to let go of them.
"Kasi kailangan makita mo yung mga tinuro mo sa kanila, yung mga tinanim mo sa kanila, kung nandun pa din sa puso nila."
FINDING ANSWERS
Part of a child's decision to strike their own into the world is to explore themselves and sometimes even find answers surrounding their identity.
Amy speculated that Adi's departure was partly driven by his desire to seek clarity and find peace with the fact that he might never see his biological father, Brix Ferraris, again.
Read: Amy Perez, napatawad na ang ex-husband na si Brix Ferraris
"To be honest, wala talaga silang naging relationship because the last time nakita ni Adi yung daddy niya is, I think, mga three or four years old siya," she recalled.
"Tapos nagpaalam nun si Brix na magta-Timezone sila. Tinupad niya, nag-Timezone sila.
"And I think during the time nung nagta-Timezone sila, pinangakuan niya ulit na babalik siya at magta-Timezone sila.
"Na hindi naman bumalik na si Brix."
When it came to reaching out to the former South Border vocalist, Amy acknowledged that both she and Adi had gone to great lengths in their attempts.
"Nag-effort siya on his own," she expressed.
"Kami, separately, hindi ko man sinasabi sa kanya na harapan, nag-effort ako, hinanap ko. Siya din nag-effort.
"Pareho na kaming umabot doon sa conclusion na hindi natin siya mahanap, kahit Google hindi siya mahanap."
Years of searching with zero results led them to stop pursuing him: "Hindi man niya [Adi] directly sinasabi sa akin yun, pero parang tinuldukan na niya...
"Parang natanggap na niya na hindi na natin siya [Brix] mahanap.
She quipped, "Minsan jine-joke pa na alam niya [Adi], but alam ko kung gaano yun kasakit for him.
"May mga nakapagsabi lang na nasa America. Di ko na rin inalam kung may pamilya ba siya doon.
"Basta meron na lang nakapagsabi sa akin na ayaw na niyang pag-usapan yung tungkol sa anak niya kay Amy Perez.
"So okay na yun sa amin."
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