"1=1"

When you want a happier childhood - more stable or more whimsy or less anger or less glib - you have a kid and you give them THAT childhood so that YOU can enjoy it.

They don't owe you shit. You did that all for yourself.

Every adult knows this already.

Here's my question: when you want to have had a different ADULTHOOD - more stable or more whimsy or less anger or less glib - what do you do (for whom) so you can have-enjoy that?

I'd ask my lover but he wouldn't let me even finish asking before he cut me off

With protestations of love

A cut off, same as any other kind of "shut up", in effect.