Boooommmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!! We were just shocked by the latest news. A junior high school student came to school, and nobody knew he was carrying something terrible. Something that stopped us and made us think about our presence for our kids as an adult. From this case, we also begin to wonder: the impact of bullying and technology? Who is to blame if our kids are not on the right paths? and what can we do as adults to prevent this case from happening again? Here we are going to break down what actually happened to him.
First, bullying and technology are the problem?
Let’s talk about why he did it. People keep asking why the student took such an action. Some say that bullying was the main reason behind it. Others believe that the suspect was inspired by online games and many more speculations spread among the people. However, according to Kabid Humas Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Pol Budi Hermanto in BBC News Indonesia, “Densus 88 is still investigating the suspect’s motive after collecting evidence at the location, The results of the inspection, and statements from eyewitnesses the result will be reported later by the National Police Chief and the Regional Police Chief Metro Jaya.” However, speculations among people spread faster than the wind. One of the most interesting points is that the suspect committed such an act because he was continuously bullied by his friends at school. We all agree that bullying has a huge impact both on the victims and the bullies, both in their present life and in the future. We believe that bullying can cause big and deep trauma, which may one day lead the victims to become bullies too. This issue is like a domino effect that will happen again and again in repeat. That’s why we must completely resolve bullying cases for both the bullies and the victims.
According to alodokter.com, one way to overcome bullying is by providing education about it. That’s why schools are the best place to educate students about bullying, as they spend most of their time there. However, the family also plays the most important role in building a child’s character. We all agree that the family is the first foundation for developing a student’s character. Children get their first lessons from home and imitate the behaviour of their family members, especially their parents. Therefore, the synergy between schools and family needs to be strongly maintained to create a safe and conducive environment for children.
In addition, according to the Head of Metro Jaya Police, Irjen Asep Edi Suheri, as reported by cnnindonesia.com, “From the analysis of the suspect’s phone and internet activity, it was found that the suspect was interested in violent and extreme content.” This makes us realize that social media plays a crucial role in our lives today. The development of social media and technology has a significant influence on how we think and behave, as we can see from this case. It was revealed that the suspect used social media to look for information related to violent and extreme content. We often talk about setting limits on gadget use for our children, but do we really do that? Do we check their phones regularly? Are we truly there for our children when they need someone to talk to? These questions are important to ask if we want to understand whether our presence truly has a positive impact on them or not and I’ll let you answer those questions by yourself.
Second, who is to blame?
From this case, we also learned that the suspect was a lonely person who had no friends and nobody to talk to. According to the Director of the General Criminal Investigation Unit of Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Iman Imanuddin, as reported by cnnindonesia.com, “Based on the information obtained, the suspect felt lonely and had no place to share his feelings, either at home, within the family, or at school.”
This actually shocked me as an introvert who prefers spending time alone rather than in a group. For me, being alone is something I need because it gives me comfort. I can read all day by myself, sometimes play games alone, and even enjoy walking by myself. Maybe the difference is that I have already made peace with myself, so I can manage being alone. However, for the suspect, being alone seemed to be something difficult. He couldn’t handle the feeling of loneliness because he still needed guidance from adults to do their life as teenagers.
We all agree that the teenage years are a crucial stage in life. Teenagers are like growing plants that need to be watered every day. We must ensure that the plant grows well with proper care and good nutrition. Just like plants need attention, teenagers also need the presence of adults to give them love, guidance, and correction when they make mistakes. Unfortunately, the suspect felt completely alone and had no one to talk to about his problems. Imagine the struggle he went through as a teenager when there was no one present to listen or guide him through that difficult stage of life. If there was nobody to talk to him, it is very likely that he also didn’t have anyone who could guide him through his teenage years.
Third, what can we do as elders (parents, teachers)
As I mentioned above, the presence of elders is crucial for teenagers, as elders serve as their role models. Therefore, adults need to understand that happiness is not only about working hard and earning money for the family. It’s about how we can balance our lives and put our family as the first priority, not only by providing financial support but also by fulfilling their emotional and mental needs.
So, what can we do as parents to guide and shape our children into good individuals during their teenage years? From this case, we also learned that the suspect’s parents seemed unable to provide proper guidance, so he couldn’t feel their presence in his life. According to sampoernaacademy.sch.id, there are several tips for educating teenagers:
- Build good communication with them so they feel safe and heard by their parents.
- Respect them as teenagers by trusting them, while still giving guidance, advice, and support.
- Balance their needs. Don’t lose attention to them, but make sure you are not too strict when setting rules.
- Create rules together and discuss the consequences, so parents can also understand their point of view.
- Be a good role model. As mentioned before, teenagers and children imitate our daily habits.
- Give emotional support, whether they ask for it or not.
- Teach them to manage and control their emotions.
- Enrich ourselves with up-to-date information, especially about technology and teenage life, so we can filter information and become a reliable source for them.
In conclusion, the case that happened at SMA 72 Jakarta reminds us that teenage life is complex and full of challenges. Teenagers will face many obstacles and need the presence of adults to guide them through this stage of life. We cannot let them feel lonely, fall into despair, or worse, become victims of bullying in their environment. We need to ensure that they live in a healthy environment where they can express themselves freely and become who they want to be, while still under proper guidance.
Educating them in the right way is our responsibility to protect them from negative influences during their teenage years.
Now, let me ask you again:
Have you been a good role model for your children?
Have you given them proper knowledge and guidance?
Have you made sure they grow with what they truly need?
Or, a simple question, have you spent time talking and listening to them?
Bibliography
https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/cgqlgxedyxxo
https://www.alodokter.com/solusi-bullying-yang-tepat-dan-efektif
https://www.sampoernaacademy.sch.id/id/news/tips-parenting-untuk-remaja
