Moms and Dads

Jaye Bautista’s Love and Support for Her Son’s Cosplay

by Kevyn Gohu
October 12, 2021

Jaye Bautista shares how she supports her son in his hobby wearing costumes beyond Halloween called cosplay.

Although costumes are usually meant only for Halloween, TechieMommy Jaye Bautista saw how her son, Keoni, took it to the next level. His costumes were not the typical vampires, witches, or angels that hung on the racks. Rather, he would dress up as different characters from different shows. While some parents find it concerning to have an expensive hobby, Jaye sees how many appreciate Keoni as a cosplayer.

Costumes Beyond Halloween: Cosplay

When Jaye first found out about her son’s hobby, she didn’t feel any shock. She saw how his hobbies would eventually lead him into becoming more creative with his costumes. “I wasn’t surprised. My son Keoni growing up liked anime, gadgets, and technology, played Bakugan, Magic cards, and RPG, VR games,” says Jaye. “He even has all the toys including the Japanese model action figures people put together.”

From there, it created a lot of bonding moments for Jaye and Keoni, especially on Halloween. “Halloweens were events for us to bond like that. In our family, Halloweens are a big deal. We dress up, spend it at my sister’s village in Makati, and even decorate the house and pass treats as my son and friends go trick or treating.”

Being a mom to a cosplayer

Being a mom to a cosplayer has both its pros and cons. “My son’s physique allows him to wear certain costumes and assume personas bordering on anime. He carries them well. I remember one summer we went to Universal Studios in Los Angeles California USA and he went in as Ciel Phantomhive and people were taking pictures with him. I love it when he gets commended and noticed for it,” Jaye says. “But, it is an expensive hobby.”

But like most hobbies, there are always those who are called gatekeepers. They often bully others because they believe that there should be a “standard”. But for Jaye, what matters is that her son stands by what he believes in. “My son is pretty confident about himself and as long as he can stand by what he does, I have his back and he has my full support.”

Communication is key

We often get into fights with our kids about their hobbies because of miscommunication and if it’s something that we’re not sure of. But for Jaye, the key is having an open mind and communicating your concerns. “Talk to your kids. Ask them what their rationale is behind the cosplaying. I know there are, at times, deviances and caprices that go with cosplaying. That’s why communication is key in this case,” says Jaye. “I give my son the benefit of the doubt. As long as there are no criminal or sexual occurrences, I’m here to support his artistic expression and outlet.”

Jaye Bautista, popularly known as Techie Mommy, puts on web shows about tech, life, and musings about the pandemic on BSC Communicators.