To Parents

Well according to The Star, more girls are running away from home. Here's one tip for parents whose children had runaway from them. You suck. Seriously. Don't go blaming on cybercafes like our CID Director does and don't go "Oh s/he wasn't like that last time. s/he's a good girl/boy and very obedient too. It MUST be her/his friends. I told her/him not to go out with them be she wouldn't listen. Oh... I had tried my best". Right... you had tried your best nagging at them and scolding them like you did ten years ago or raise them up like how your parents raise you... Congratulations! You had given them the right to runaway from you.

For those dinosaurs who still don't get it. It's simple. Teenagers are a very fragile lot. They are like walking on a tightrope. One wrong move and "WHAM!" down they go. Every single thing that happens around them during these period is very crucial. Therefore, parents must be supportive of what they want to do and encourage them and advice them. And for the love of God... NAGGING AIN'T ADVISING AND SARCASM AIN'T ENCOURAGING! I am really happy to grow up in a great family. Both my mum and dad are really open to what I want to do. They let me do the things I want to do which won't harm myself. They let me play sports... go to cybercafes for my weekly Counterstrike fix and even don't restrict my internet time during weekends. When I join co-curriculum activities, they won't object to it. All they did was remind me of not forgetting my studies.

I know there are lots of parents who don't give their children any freedom at all. All they expect is that as long as they put food on the table and give them food to eat, their teenage children will listen to them. If that's what you want, you are better off with a dog. Heck, even dogs need to go for walks sometimes. Teenagers need freedom. They need a little privacy in things they do too. Try to give them a little freedom and in the meantime be open to them so that they will be open to you. Always give them the "I am always here if you need me" feeling instead of the "WHAT EVER I SAY YOU MUST OBEY BECAUSE I AM THE AUTHORI-TAY~" feeling.

Here, I had had my say. If you still think the "YOU MUST OBEY" approach is the best way to go... go ahead and try it. Just don't go bitching around when shit happens. Just remember at the end of the day its YOUR CHILDREN... and don't go blaming the whole world because its YOUR responsibility in the first place.

P.S: This post is only about teenagers running way from home and bad parenting. I do sympathise on cases of missing people.