After the terror attack in Kenya at Dusit Hotel where 21 people lost their lives, a lot of questions have come up.
Most parents of these young men only saw them on TV killing people; they did not have an idea of what their sons had become.
It is heartbreaking. I am sure that every parent is now doing everything possible to ensure that their child does not get involved in such activities.
How a tender-hearted child turns into a heartless killer, shooting and bombing to kill as many as possible is unfathomable. It is beyond human understanding.
Probably the radicalisers can reveal the opioid used to create such people.
Such breed of human beings who are a total danger to the unsuspecting public.
What can we as parents do to keep our children away from such?
1. Being close enough to our children
It would be difficult for a child who has a close-knit relationship with his/her parents to get involved in such groups.
There would be a high likelihood of them mentioning it to the parents in seeking approval or disapproval.
2. Closely observing our children
Any slight change of behaviour or secrecy would be a clue.
Any child who suddenly wants to eat alone, never says where they go to, or picks calls privately may be up to something fishy.
3. Flashy belongings
If you know very well that the amount of money you give to your child cannot be able to sustain some kind of lifestyle, and they are not working, then you should want to know the source of money.
Some of these radical groups recruit the youth with the hope of giving them a huge fortune.
4.Drastic adjustments in their life
For example, if your child changes religion without any valid reasons, that would be one of the avenues through which they would get radicalised.
Or suddenly they are dressing differently. Anything that would warrant you to worry, look into what they are up to.
5. They reduce the number of times they come home
Normally a son or daughter would reduce the number of times they go home if they get a new job that is more demanding or they even relocate to distant areas.
Anything that would reasonably not warrant long periods of disappearance should be looked into.
After the terror attack, some of the parents to the shooters said that they had not seen their sons for years. I think, if the parents make some effort to reach out to their children in love, maybe one way or another, compassion would stop them in their tracks.
Making statements such as, "We will know where he has been when he dies," are some of the things that would push them into recklessness.
But even after all that is done, there are some who have made up their minds on how they want to live their lives, and to forever cause pain to the world, and the parents/guardians can do nothing about it.
Putting them in the hands of God is the most concrete way to ensure that their paths will stay in righteousness.
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