Every parent raises their kid, hoping they’ll become a doctor, lawyer, astronaut, or maybe even the president. If they don’t turn into any of those things, the least they could do is to be an upstanding citizen. But that’s also apparently a lot to ask.
This dad, unfortunately, had to find this out the hard way after his daughter got arrested for breaking and entering. He posted online pleading for help and advice because he just didn’t know how to handle his daughter anymore.
More info: Reddit
Heartbroken dad feels confused and shocked after daughter committed a crime and expects him to magically make her punishment go away
Image credits: tonodiaz / freepik (not the actual photo)
The man explains that his 22-year-old got arrested for trying to steal from a rich person’s house and that it wasn’t the first time she’d done something like that
Image credits: Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo)
The daughter and her friends were caught on camera committing the crime, so she could potentially go to prison and be kicked out of college for her actions
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / pexels (not the actual photo)
The dad is confused because his daughter had a good job, a great career ahead, and had everything paid for, so she had no reason to steal
Image credits: u/Ordinary-Meeting3346
Instead of owning up to her actions, the daughter expected her dad to solve her problems and get her off the hook
The disappointed dad in this post probably has had a lot to deal with when it comes to his daughter. He mentioned that she and her friends have been engaging in criminal activities for quite a while. This time though, they broke into a rich person’s house, triggered an alarm, and got caught on camera, which led to some pretty damning evidence against them.
The daughter's actions seem indicative of delinquent behavior, meaning that she had probably been committing crimes from a young age. Sometimes, young kids test their parents’ limits in one-off situations, but repeated offenses like this mean something serious is happening under the surface.
The problem with the OP’s daughter isn’t just that she was engaging in such activities; it was also that she expected her father to get her off scot-free. She clearly didn’t want to take responsibility for her actions and blamed her dad for not helping her out enough. But, as he mentioned, she's an adult who made a bad choice in the first place.
Psychologists state that parents of youth who’ve committed crimes might feel a great sense of disappointment, sadness, and anger at their kids. Especially if the individual keeps making the same mistakes, the parent has to understand that they can’t control their son or daughter’s behavior and have to let them face the music.
Image credits: javi_indy / freepik (not the actual photo)
The dad is also baffled by why his daughter wanted to break into someone’s house and steal. She had a good job and career, and her parents paid for everything else. He feels like she had no reason at all to turn to crime, which is why he has found himself in an internal battle about whether to help her out or not.
Just like this dad, the families of criminals often struggle to accept that their kid could have done something so bad. Some deny it, turn a blind eye, or even try to get their child absolved of everything. It’s definitely difficult to accept that someone you love so much could be capable of such wrongdoing, but acceptance is the first step to feeling better.
Parents can also take steps early on to try and prevent their children from going down the wrong path. Experts state that kids are much less likely to get in trouble if they have a good relationship with their parents and can openly talk to them about anything. Setting clear and reasonable rules is also important.
Parents can only try their best to ensure their kids are good human beings. The rest is up to the individual. Hopefully, the dad in this post took a step back and let his daughter face the consequences. That might truly be the only way to set her straight.
Do you think the dad should have helped his daughter out or not? Let us know your honest opinions in the comments.
Folks were unsympathetic toward the daughter and urged the poster to let her take responsibility for her actions
