Take a look around you at your children, if they are teens check their MS page .
Now imagine that one of them will grow up to kill.
Not easy is it?
My son is serving overseas right now, and I worry he will come to harm, but I ALSO worry that he may have to harm or kill someone elses child.
I wonder how I will cope if ever faced with the fact that my child took someone elses life, and how long it will take before I stop saying "oh no - not MY baby"?
Yeah, absolutely don't let your kids on the internet without checking behind them but ya know what? You don't even need to look at their myspace pages to know your child has issues. It's as simple as looking at your kids
honestly, not letting denial and excuses cloud your vision (which sadly lots of parents do.) I can't tell you how often I have heard people who allow their children to spiral
out of control with the excuse of "We don't confront her because she'd freak out and we just want to keep the peace in the house". OK- that's healthy. Can't wait for that kid to become an adult!
Do your children (teenagers, not small children) accept responsibility for their wrongs? Do they deny their mistakes, try to blame them on others? Do they pout.. sulk? Have outbursts of anger, unpredictable behavior.. are they overly sensitve to criticism? Do they make unreasonable demands on others.. make up stories, lies? Do they ignore your rules (teachers rules?) or follow them but with an "attitude"? Do they have trouble holding onto relationships? Argue with their S/O's a lot? Do they get frustrated easily-
all the time.. do they cry a lot, Do they always fail to finish things they start.. are they destructive?
If yes to these things, chances are (though obviously not always but these are "red flags" and if you see them and do nothing you cannot claim innocence
if something happens) ya got some issues on your hands and if you don't do something nothing good can come of these issues. They
will get worse.
According to those who know her, friends, family (when being
honest Lee and George shared plenty and Shirley was a wealth of information) Casey had almost every one of these issues yet no one did anything. By ignoring these HUGE RED FLAGS they helped create the woman we see before us. It does not take looking at their Myspace pages to know your children need help. No, they certainly could not have known she would kill her daughter but they
knew she was capable of awful things and did nothing.
And this surprises them? Doubt it.