Hong Kong actor Ho Ying Wai has recalled the distressing ordeal of his teenage son running away from home after becoming unhappy with the strict rules imposed on him.
In a recent web programme, the 61-year-old revealed that his 14-year-old son was going through a rebellious phase at the time and had been unhappy with the restrictions at home.
These included limits on his gaming time, having his pocket money withheld and his father’s concerns about his early romantic relationship.
The situation escalated when the teenager took thousands of dollars in cash, sneaked out of the family home at around 4am and travelled alone to Guangzhou, China.
Ho realised his son was missing when he woke up at 7am and quickly alerted the police.
He later received a call from the parent of his son’s classmates, who informed him that the teenager had borrowed their phone to make contact.
The Detective Investigation Files II (1995) star pleaded with his son to return home, but the teenager refused, opting instead to stay temporarily with his classmate’s family.
The boy later presented him with 12 conditions before agreeing to return home, including demands for the latest iPhone, the return of his savings and greater privacy.
However, Ho refused to give in to the demands.
“Our family isn’t a triad. You can’t make demands like this. I will always be your father. If you want to discuss things, you can come to me anytime, but you can’t make demands like this,” he recalled telling his son.
Ho eventually agreed to return his son’s savings, but stressed that he would not provide additional money if the teenager spent it.
As for the new phone, Ho reached a compromise with his son. He agreed that they would split the cost the following April, provided the teenager could save enough money himself.
Although the boy was initially reluctant to return home, he eventually changed his mind after his classmate encouraged him to appreciate his father’s willingness to compromise.
Looking back, Ho admitted that the incident left him deeply distressed and torn between disciplining his son and preserving their relationship.
He also revealed that he had considered using physical punishment several times, but ultimately decided that reasoning with his son was the better approach.
