Whether your child is still a teen or whether they’re a fully-fledged adult, seeing them get in trouble with the law is always going to be your worst nightmare. Unfortunately, however, you can’t be with your son or daughter 24 hours of the day, which means you can’t always be there to keep them on the straight and narrow. It might not be a nice thing to think about, but you could be getting a call from the police station at any time.
No matter how you feel about the situation that has transpired — regardless of whether you’re angry, upset, scared, or disappointed — you have to do all you can to support your child. For advice on what you can do to be there for your little one when he or she needs you most, be sure to read on.
Don’t be too quick to jump to conclusions
When you get that call from the police station, your mind will start racing and your thoughts will become clouded. At this time, it’s vitally important that you step back, take a deep breath, and remember that life is not always black and white. More to the point, don’t start jumping to conclusions about what your child may or may not have done to land themselves in hot water. For all you know, your child could have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact, the whole situation could just be one-big misunderstanding and simply a case of mistaken identity.
Don’t go worrying about what is going to happen before you have all of the facts. If you do, you’ll only make the situation worse for all involved.
Attempt to calm your child down
If you have the opportunity to speak to your child before he or she talks to the police in a formal interview, you should do your best to calm them down. The fear and confusion that they are experiencing at this time might lead them to act erratically, and that could potentially make their situation even worse. Should you have the chance to do so, you should remind them to keep their cool and you should reinforce the importance of being respectful and cooperative.
Do your best to get them home
To ensure that your child’s mental wellbeing isn’t affected by the ordeal, you have to do your utmost best to get them home. They need to be surrounded by things and people that they are comfortable with — if they are, they might just feel comfortable enough to open up to you about what they actually did to get themselves in trouble in the first place.
When seeking to get your child back home, don’t go into the police station all guns blazing as that can and probably will just make the situation worse. Instead, align yourself with a reputable bail bondsman, such as ABB who deal with Daytona Beach bail bonds, and go through all the right channels. The professional that you partner up with in this instance will be sure to simplify and de-jargon the bailing process for you.
No matter what it is they’ve been accused of, you need to be there for your child whenever he or she gets in trouble with the law. Taking the above advice will help you to do just that.
