There are times when being a parent is hard, but if you’re dealing with a troubled teen, it may seem like it’s never easy. Although it may be a difficult choice to make, sometimes legal assistance is necessary to get your life and your child’s life back under control. If your troubled teen is showing any of the following six behaviors, you should consider getting legal help.
Violence
If your teen is showing signs of violence, whether through getting in fights at school or acting aggressively toward you or other family members, legal interference may be necessary. Your child’s safety is the most important thing to consider in this situation and getting legal assistance could save your child from an injury, a hospital trip, or worse.
Drug or Alcohol Use
Too many teens find themselves experimenting with drugs and alcohol. What begins as a party ends in a lifelong addiction. Even if your children are partaking in illegal activity, getting legal help can set them back on a path to a clearer future.
Depression
Listen to your teen and pay attention to the warning signs of depression. Untreated depression can lead to a variety of other unhealthy behaviors, like drinking or drug use. If you believe your teen is contemplating suicide or needs additional attention, legal assistance can get your teen the help they need.
Anger
Just like depression, unresolved anger problems can cause further issues down the road. Uncontrolled anger may lead to drinking or drug use, and in many circumstances, violence. Getting anger under control is necessary for keeping your troubled teen out of harm’s way and in some circumstances may require legal help.
Disobedience
As a parent, we expect our children to listen to our demands and suggestions, especially when they have everyone’s best interests in mind. If your troubled teen isn’t listening to your attempts to keep him or her under control, such as groundings, you should consider getting legal help.
Illegal Behavior
If your teen is partaking in any kind of illegal behavior, such as drug dealing or stealing, legal action may be necessary to get them to stop. It is common for many troubled teens to believe they are invincible and won’t get caught. The realization that there are serious consequences could be what puts them back on track.
Getting legal help for a troubled teen is difficult, but also necessary. You want to be on your teen’s side, but make sure they understand they have consequences to their actions. The help of a lawyer from Buford & Gonzalez Criminal Law may be the best option for you and your teen if they are in legal trouble.
This article is courtesy of Anita Ginsburg, a freelance writer from Denver who often writes about home, family, law and business. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing.
