According to statistics, fatherless youth are at a higher risk to commit crimes. Young people who grow up in fatherless homes are twice as likely to serve jail sentences compared to those with a strong male presence in the home. A stepfather’s influence can be just as positive and reinforcing as that of a traditional, two-parent household.
Impact of Single Parenthood
There is no doubt a father’s influence in the home is a very important aspect to a positive family life for teens. Women who find themselves raising children on their own can find it difficult maintaining positive relationships with their teens.
Similarly, when parents divorce, teens can experience emotional changes that cause them to rebel more than they would otherwise. Teens might be more likely to engage in substance abuse or some other form of criminal activity.
Stepfather Relationships
Teens with established bad behavior patterns need more guidance and direction than those who have not. This is why the role of the stepfather in a teen’s life is so important. While it can be daunting to building a positive relationship with your teen consider the following tips for how a stepfather can build a rapport and support with troubled and criminal teens.
Establish Great Communication
Have meaningful discussions without preaching. Find out how they feel about things and talk about ways of dealing with issues that concern them. If this process proves to be too challenging, consider seeing a counselor both individually and together.
Introduce Teens to After School Programs
They will be less likely to become involved in gang and other negative activities or get into trouble because of boredom and lack of supervision.
Suggest and Encourage New Activities
Teens should become involved in activities that teach them new things. Use social activities that teens enjoy to bond with them. Find related activities for them to enjoy and take part along with them. Keep informed about their whereabouts in a non-confrontational way.
Be the Best Example You can Be
Set a good example. For instance, show teens the benefits of becoming involved in positive community events and other local happenings.
Engage in Outside Support Systems
Encourage them to stay in school, and find other educational programs that tell teens of the various dangers of criminal activities and their consequences.
The above are just some of the ways to consider establishing a relationship with teens so that they learn to trust and respect the advice of a stepfather.
Legal Advice
It is impossible to entirely prevent teens from becoming involved in crime. In fact, some teens may become involved unknowingly. Whenever a teen is facing criminal charges, it is extremely important to seek counsel from a qualified and experienced criminal defense attorney to lower damages that occur as a result of juvenile mistakes. You can learn more about lawyers who handle juvenile crime cases by researching attorney websites like http://www.kellislaw.com.
Education
There is little evidence that supports claims teens are deterred from engaging in criminal activities under the threat of harsh sanctions. Therefore, parental guidance and mentoring is essential to address the social concerns posed by teen criminals.
Parental influences are key components about teen education. The more access teens have to parental guidance, the more effectively they can be educated about how to survive and thrive in today’s complex world.
Above all, impress upon teens how everything they do is a choice and what they choose to do today will affect them in the future. Explain specifically how criminal activities such as vandalism, theft, drunk driving, and substance abuse can cause fatal accidents and create a criminal record that could impact the rest of their life.
Savannah Bobo is a blogger and freelance writer from Atlanta, GA. She enjoys writing and giving support on health, legal, and family issues such as teen crime. Steven E. Kellis provides helpful crime information on his website http://www.kellislaw.com/ about juvenile offenses, often called “acts of delinquency,” such as skipping school, staying out past curfew, drug use, arson, traffic violations, and shoplifting.
