here's a post that compares two families in HN (mainly the books) these two families being the Petersons and the Roths. how much they care about their child and such. I'm only using my memory atm. there won't be screenshot quotes.
..the comparison..
...Roths...
in the game, not much is known. there's missing posters everywhere and despite that, the child is allowed to play outside alone. his parents either aren't home when act 1 happens or idk, never said. after act 2, they possibly immediately call the police and then the family possibly moves away (as Nicky had no memories after act 2) that's all we know.
books. I don't know the number of events (2+ for sure) when Nicky in the first 3 books mentions "my parents are out tonight, being parents" whatever that means. ((you'll see, not a single time will this happen with the other parents.)) these cases are used as excuses for him to easily stalk his neighbor and to do things unnoticed. I, as an adult, don't know what that sentence means. parents go to a restaurant? they go out to drink? book a hotel and bang until morning? who tf knows.
so for one, the kid is left alone already at 12. later, his parents know nothing, and I mean, nothing about what Nicky has been doing. just in the end of the third book, they go to his room and see his shit. it's one thing that he doesn't tell them everything when his dad for example spams him with dogshit ass food jokes and two positive sentences about his future, it's another that they seemingly don't even care. if they did, they'd check his room at least, and pester the kid more. later on, these parents turn against their own child, not even giving a benefit of doubt to themselves, that still, the child may be right in book 3. typical dumb parent stereotype in fiction. I just didn't want to straight up say it. but i did so, because idgaf. so I'd say that they deserve the not caring, dogshit parent badge, no matter how angry I'm making people now. there's more flaws than goods sadly.
it's even worse in the cartoon. where they not only not gaf about their child EVER, in addition, they call the mental hospital on him, this is a death sentence where I live and you harm the kid with such action the most. idk what's up with USA, I heard that healthcare isn't the best there either. I was having a theory that Nicky's parents may be cultists in the cartoon, it'd explain some things, but I think I'm adding too many good ideas to such media myself, and it's nowhere like that.
bonus. Nicky in the original game has the most empathy and wonders about what happened to Theodore. these two are the most caring and empathetic characters and that's why I want them to talk as adults and settle things.
...Petersons...
I'm not opening certain arguments about Hide and seek. such as people saying that Peterson " wasn't caring" about what Aaron does, after Diane died, because it exposes the other person not knowing the definition of grief. in the games, the point of HN is that Peterson loves and cares TOO MUCH about his family. he wants to keep the remaining parts together, that's why Aaron is in the basement.
in the books, they're afraid of him. but to this day idk why. he's a big man. that's it. he never once slams on the table, let alone worse things.
he's after his own children, by that, I mean physically. he often follows them and that's why their ass is saved. book 4 ending with Aaron in the tunnels, or them being saved in book 6, when they want to film the cultists. Theodore is keeping secrets in front of the kids. why? because the person who DOES know everything, is murdered in the prologue of book 4. furthermore, Theodore does find the grandparents notes Aaron steals from the Mayak, does notice the device in his hand. first happens quite early on in the story. he knows when Aaron is out to the woods, the tunnels etc. he has a whole squad that protects the kids. he maybe doesn't know one or two things, first time Ike lies to him, second time - plot - he must not know his son's plan in book 6, and Aaron also tricks him by lying. otherwise the story couldn't work out the way it does.
so Theodore is quite aware and caring. later on, when his mental state worsens, he still prioritizes his family, since "he wants to build an amusement park for Aaron and Nicky. he wants a friend for Aaron, who doesn't betray him". in his eyes, that's why Nicky is necessary in the basement.
the Petersons are always rotting at home. they not abandon the kids like the Roths do. they do let their kids alone to go to xy places, but they monitor them much more often.
so Theodore isn't only aware of his kids' actions, he's also aware of Nicky's (see second book where he breaks in for the address book) and he also knows he's a scary figure, but doesn't use it once, to horrify someone. so I'd say, the Peterson family is much more caring despite everything, the parents (or at least, parent) knows more about what the kids are doing, Theodore keeps encouraging Aaron to draw, he keeps telling him he's a genius already at such age. he in fact doesn't blame him once in books 4-6. the overall dynamic is light years better despite everything, despite just like the Roths, they don't talk about certain things.
...
..closing words..
I don't want to see a single "I'm pulling the uno card of Peterson keeping Nicky in his basement for two months therefore everything you said is invalid because he's a baaaad maaaan grrr woooof" this post is meant to compare the caring level of families, not xy people's delusional hyperfixation on mistakes. literally nothing else can be discussed in the community for years, because whatever others say, especially positive traits about the Petersons, some people ALWAYS pull this excuse (like the masses of strangers in the books!) and from that point, that's not a discussion anymore, just a pointless argument.
..conclusion?..
there's no conclusion, I just wanted to compare the two families.
