This relates to the story of the school killing in the Krugersdrop school I mentioned yesterday. The following is based on hearsay and if anybody can confirm this I would be very grateful.
Yesterday, while discussing this issue, and the reactions to it with some of my friends, my one friend mentioned that he had been listening to 702FM while driving from college. He mentioned that he was rather shocked by certain of the callers’ reactions to the killings, during a call-in segment of the show. One caller phoned in, rather hysterically, freaking out because her son was introverted, a nerd, and read a lot, and she was worried that he was a Satanist and a literal ticking time-bomb before he would murder someone else. (This is paraphrased from what my friend could remember. I could find the show on the 702FM website but not the actual transcript.)
From my friend’s description the mother was asking how she could get her son to go out more and socialise more. Yes, we all know that playing sports and socialising is a 100% successful preventative measure against murderous rampages. I mean, how are the Waterkloof 4 doing again?
Mother’s and fathers, heed this, if you’re child is spending a lot of time alone, reading, browsing on the Internet or playing computer games: rejoice! You have another programmer, scientist or engineer on your hands. Someone who will make a real difference in the world. Sure, keep an eye on them, talk to them (as much as that is possible with a teenager), but don’t fear them. Encourage their intellectualism. Be just as proud of your Counter-Strike playing son, who is at the top on his local server, as you would be of him if he was in the first rugby team. Buy your daughter, who spends her evenings reading Anne Rice instead of gossiping on the phone, Exclusive Books gift vouchers instead of make-up.
If you alienate your children, they will alienate you. And then you won’t understand them. Parents: get involved! It’s as simple (and as difficult) as that.
Posted by darthfishy 