Parents try to do the best for their children. So when parents discover or are informed that their child has either committed a crime or been charged with one, it can be tough to deal with. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with it and help.
While you may feel like you are the only parent in the world that is going through this, the truth is that this is something that many parents go through, individually and together. You’re not alone and this doesn’t make you, your child, or your family ‘bad’. If you can all look at it as a chance to learn a lesson or grow more and change behavior or the status quo, it may be a very good thing.
While being accused formally of a crime as a minor can be a somewhat common thing, it’s important to also consider the magnitude and seriousness of the situation. This is not just something that is to be glossed over or ignored. If you want different results, you are going to have to commit to doing things– and your child is as well.
What you don’t want to happen is for your child to get caught up in the juvenile criminal system. They need a chance to change the behavior and this may be an environment that further harms them and drives them further from the shore. Don’t rely on others to fix this– accept that you and your child must be honest about the motivations behind committing a crime in the first place and understand that legal consequences may get more severe with subsequent offenses.
The important thing is to try and guide your child on the right path. If they’re getting into trouble, they may be expressing emotions in a way that you may not like as a parent but may be able to understand. If you can come from a place of empathy and putting yourself in your child’s shoes, no matter what age or stage of development or their lives they are at, you may find that you make more progress than you think– and get better results for everyone in the end.
If your child has been arrested and may be likely going to court, it may be time to hire a juvenile criminal defense lawyer. If the case is going to court it may end up being managed by your local state juvenile court system. This is a better scenario than going to court for an adult trial but it still requires representation. Speak with a lawyer or local attorney that works in this field and help your child change the course of their future before it is too late.
No parent wants their child to get caught up in a negative and vicious cycle of being in and out of jail and constantly facing consequences. By accepting that getting to the heart of the issue and finding positive ways to handle emotions– be it drawing, art, writing, working out, getting a great job, learning a skill, going to a trade school, and more– will create good results, you both will be one step closer to success.
Contact the law offices of Payas, Payas, and Payas today.
Recent Comments