The increasing trend of parents taking a nonchalant attitude when it comes to the well-being and safety of their children is reaching a worrying level.
Safety issues, or the lack of it, involving children is obvious from reports published by newspapers and online media over the last two weeks.
Though Wan Hazim Mohd Khadhir, 7, was lucky to be reunited with his parents safe and sound after being found mysteriously wandering by the Kesas Highway in Kuala Lumpur, heart-break and sadness engulfed the family of Nurul Nadirah Abdullah or Dirang, 5, whose charred remains were recovered three days back.
"The lackadaisical mentality has always been there in our community, but it needs a wake-up call due to the number of hideous crime cases, especially those which involve children," Help University Psychology Department head Kenneth Phun said adding that the safety of children should not be taken for granted.
He said there was a thin line between teaching children about responsibility by asking them to buy things, for instance, and their security concern.
"It is important for parents, therefore, to strike a balance between the two factors, so as to also not impinge on their children's freedom to learn about the things around them," Phun said.
"However, to allow a 5-year-old to go get groceries all on her own was never a right thing to do, even if it was done in the name of educating him or her on responsibilities," he said, adding that it can be quite costly to only assume one's child would be safe even if he or she wanders in a familiar neighbourhood.
Professor Dr Low Wah Yun of Universiti Malaya's Medical Education and Health Research Development Unit said apart from parents, members of the public needed to play a key role in ensuring cases similar to Dirang's did not recur.
"You can't just point fingers to parents alone as public members, too, must have a share in whatever happens in the society, and they must play a vigilant role", said the professor of psychology.
"Sad to say, the urban 'its-not-my-problem' mentality is very much a cause for concern of late," Low said.
She said that in a fast-paced urban lifestyle of today, the number of complacent-minded people have increased.
"While parents strive to teach their children about independence, they should never cease to forget that the kids need to be under their benevolent watch at all times." Low said.
National Child Development Research Centre (NCDRC) director Associate Prof Dr Sopia Md Yassin said besides the lackadaisical mentality, there was also a lack of good communication skills between parents and children, particularly during a child's formative years.
"Our research indicates that communication from parent to child is more authoritative and most of the time it is not the right approach when educating kids," she said, adding that a change in the mindset of parents is also crucial.
"Sending out kids to buy small sundry items is normal, but parents should take extra precaution, especially when crime knows no age in this day," Sopia said.