What Would You Do If Your Kid Killed Somebody?

[picklejuice]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

I was recently reading about Ted Bundy's execution. Just before he was executed, his mother sent him a message saying he would always be her sweet boy.

And then there are those people who are decent, hard working, always helping others, etc. And guess what? Their parents are no where to be found. Oh, the irony!

[SkyeBright]

Originally Posted by convextech

Locally, there's a story about a 13yo kid who killed a 16yo over weed. He rode by on his bicycle and shot the kid in the neck.

No mental illness, lived in a decent neighborhood, had two working parents that we assume did everything they could for their kids.

Many people are saying don't blame the parents.

But if it were my kid, I would feel partially responsible, and I'd be looking inward to try to figure out what the hell I did wrong. But at 13, they know right from wrong. And if I'd decided that I had done everything in my power to make sure that kid was on the right path, and he did this anyway, then that kid would be dead to me. I would not hire a lawyer, not visit them in prison, not send money, nothing. Because in my mind, they deserve nothing more from me.

What do you feel?

Deciding to stop parenting at 13 really doesn't make much sense, no matter what the child did. I'd also hope one who does decide to stop parenting realizes that they probably didn't do everything in their power to make sure the child was on the right path. Presumably they are going to get out of prison one day. When they mess up again you'll have to acknowledge that you deliberately failed them all because you determined they weren't perfect enough to continue parenting.