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Sunday, January 27, 2008

Parental inconvenience?

I read with much aghast and distress on the recent kidnapping case of the young girl, Sharlinie who was allegedly found missing from her playing area; the playground in front of her house.
There were mixed feelings when I first read that; alarmed and sad that yet another girl had been abducted by goodness-knows-who and wondering goodness-knows-what they had done to her.
Secondly, I was really angered as well by the fact that parents have yet again been found guilty of the negligence imposed on watching out for their own kids.
A short distance away from home means OUT of sight and AWAY from home, and haven't we been through this several times since the past few cases?
I don't get what is so confusing about the clear statement posted by these abductors and why parents are putting their young offspring at this risk, again and AGAIN!

It is so disheartening to know that parents regard lightly the distance of their kids from them.

Yesterday I was at the church and even the parish priest mentioned, do not leave your kids unattended.
He was referring to the young children waiting by the roadside outside the church after Sunday cathecism classes for their parents to pick them up.
He strictly emphasized on the notion that all children are to be inside the school canteen and that parents should not slack on making the turn into the compound to collect their "precious packages".
If they find it inconvenient, they will need to pass a note to inform the adults to have an older teen accompany the younger ones to the gate.

I find this word intriguing; convenient?
Since when is parental duties bounded by convenience?
Perhaps this explain all the risks they have themselves created by letting their children out of their sight... due to inconvenience of watching over them?

I am not indicating nor imposing more grief or hurt here; nor am I pointing finger at any party over negligence; I understand the overwhelming guilt and conscience battle which must be killing the parents every night.
However, I am trying to state a point that is important and the key to curb all these cases; or even make it challenging (or almost impossible) for a kid (regardless of boy or girl) to disappear under our noses!
I remembered how protective my mum was over me when I was a little girl; everyone said how overprotective or over-reactive she is in not allowing me to go out to buy stuffs or wait at the main road without company.
My mum was pointed by everyone that she is being dramatic, etc and that it was all in exaggeration.
My mum took no heed in whatever everyone says and told me that it may mean a minute to everyone but it all takes less than a minute for someone to grab and speed off in the car.
And that, my friends, the 1 minute of avoiding inconvenience will be a lifetime of pain and regret.

I hope that everyone will not regard inconvenience; particularly when it comes to children lightly....

Angel