BE YOUR CHILD’S BEST FRIEND
RECENTLY, an 18-year-old white teenager, in a military-style execution targeting Black Americans shot dead 10 people and injured three at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in what authorities are calling a racially motivated attack.
Hate crimes are horrible. It’s especially troubling when teenagers are involved. Our hearts go out to the family of all the victims.
In June 2021, the assailant threatened to open fire at his high school and underwent a mental health evaluation.
The police were called and the parents informed. Shouldn’t this incident have raised alarm bells for the parents that something is not right?
Police said they are investigating a 180-page “racist” manifesto that the attacker reportedly posted before going on his rampage.
I can’t imagine what the assailant’s family is going through right now. One thing is for sure — it will never be the same as before.
Their son is good as gone as he will face a mandatory life sentence if found guilty.
What is surprising as well is that the parents of the assailant (both are engineers) have yet to offer an apology or show some remorse to the families of the victims.
They are keeping mum. Surely silence is not golden in this case. Were the parents a contributory factor that led to the “hate” crime?
Did they not see any warning signs? No parent worth their salt would have not seen some worrying signs, especially after the June 2021 incident at school. Was any action taken?
As parents and grandparents, we can gain deep insights from this tragic episode.
Parents are pivotal to their children’s personal growth and development. They play a critical role in shaping their character during their growing years less they turn wayward.
As parents, we play an essential role in influencing and moulding a child’s basic values such as honesty and integrity, their circle of friends, instilling religious values, monitoring the activities they engage in, just to name a few.
And the stronger our relationship with our child, the more impactful it will be as our child will be more likely to seek our advice, opinion and support in times of need or trouble.
Children observe their parents’ every behaviour and tend to emulate them in so many ways.
Unfortunately, many parents are of the opinion that parenting is centred on providing shelter, food, education and wellbeing of their children.
Not many can afford to spend quality time by having heart-to-heart conversations and getting to know their child better.
Children with busy full-time working parents often grow up detached and, as a result, they don’t share many things with their parents.
Since they don’t share their issues, parents think everything is going good until something untoward happens by which time it may be a bit too late.
The key is having good communications (which sounds good on paper but difficult to implement in life).
And for this to happen impactfully, both parents must conscientiously put in extra effort and time to interact with their child on a sustained basis. Most importantly, parents must be their child’s best friend.