Banning underaged youth from leaving home at night will only make them feel challenged as adolescence is the time when rebelliousness is at its peak.

Psychologist and Dean of the Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Associate Professor Dr Mariani Mohd Nor said teenagers below 18 were in the process of searching for an identity, in addition to the 'push' feeling to prove themselves among their peers.

She said the right approach of educating and counselling from parents was very important in that particular age, namely by providing the teens appropriate freedom which could help curb the rebellious streak in them.

"The goal of giving freedom is for the children to have balanced upbringing in terms of personality and academic. If we try to stop this adolescent instinct, the stronger will be the desire to rebel.

"For teens under 18, they are looking for an identity and parents should look into the right approach to help these young minds," she said when contacted by Bernama.

Mariani was responding to a suggestion by Home Deputy Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed that the Johor Government issue a directive prohibiting minors from loitering urban areas, roads and certain locations late at night.

This followed a fatal accident involving eight teenagers who were mowed down by a car in Johor Bahru early Saturday morning.

That apart, Mariani also suggested that parents encourage children to participate in extra-curricular activities in schools that could provide an opportunity to engage them in healthy activities.

"By participating in school activities, it would prevent them from getting involved in unhealthy activities as their free time will be filled with programmes at school as well as at home."

A lecturer of the Tilawah Division of the International Islamic University Malaysia, Zaid Muhammad Mohd Rais said parents should be wise enough to apply psychology when dealing with their children such as identifying their tendencies and abilities.

"For example, if the child's interest is in sports, parents should encourage that interest and entertain them in order to motivate children to always spend time with family," he said.

Zaid Muhammad added parents should not make socio-economic issues as reason to ignore the responsibility of educating their children with adequate religious teachings.

"Parents need to stick together and carry out activities with their children and serve their interests without turning back on religion, like watching television programmes together at home," he said.

Population Development Association of Malaysia president Professor Dr Fatimah Daud described parents as key element in providing guidance and supervision to ensure their children's compliance to family's disciplinary techniques.

She said parents should have a sense of curiousity about their children at all times and should always keep an eye on their activities to enable them to give out warning if their children were involved in non-beneficial activities, including loitering at night. -- Bernama