tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31943569.post6011323700765140076..comments2024-03-15T06:08:01.707-07:00Comments on ONLINE PARENTING COACH: Teaching Children That Choices Have ConsequencesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31943569.post-81099290562132573362011-05-04T12:04:57.701-07:002011-05-04T12:04:57.701-07:00My 17 year old daughter had her third court date t...My 17 year old daughter had her third court date this morning for truancy. The first date she was sent to alternative school and court ordered to attend everyday unless she had an appt with doctor. The second time she skipped, her father and I were not aware and once we found out about the continued truancy, we declined to go to court with her since she is legally an adult and we were ordered to court for truancy. She received community service when she told the judge she could not afford the $500 fine. She has not yet done a single hour of community service because she has until the end of May to complete it. After the Easter break, she skipped school again, sleeping in, and when school called I told them she should be there and that she was not sick. As a result, she had her 3rd hearing this morning. The judge explained in both previous hearings that if she continued to miss school she would receive a sentence of 3 days in jail. My husband and I discussed this possiblity and decided that we would not interfere since our daughter had numerous opportunities to make good and continued to break rules. Furthermore, this weekend is prom and we felt that might really put a fine point on what her choices have cost her-missing prom because she was in jail because she was jail for truancy.<br /> <br />I received a frantic message this morning asking “Where are you! I’m in Court!” Although I had no intentions of interfering on her behalf, predictably, I felt terrible that she would have to go to jail and not have anyone there for support. It is a very scary and overwhelming proposition after all. So, I left work to drive to court and be there to tell her that I love her and once she makes this right all will be okay but this is a logical consequence, blah, blah.<br /> <br />When I got to court she was not there. I immediatley assumed that she had already been taken to jail. However, she was not there because she requested a jury trial for herself! The judge said she would set a trial for a later date and released her back to school. I went to the school to make sure she was there and saw her checking in. When I asked her why she requested a jury trial she said, because no one was there and I didn’t want to go to jail (and more importantly miss prom, I thought to myself.)<br /> <br />What the hell?! This kid is resourceful enough to get herself a jury trial to avoid missing prom and going to jail but she can’t get herself out of bed for school? She has a regular alarm clock (can’t find it cause her room is a wreck) and an alarm on her phone, AND I also go in at least 3 times to make certain she is getting up.<br /> <br />How do you advise I handle this situation. Technically, she didn’t break any rules by requesting a jury trial or go against our wishes since we never dreamed or even realised she could request such a thing... On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you rate this? The girl is a parent killer – only sort of kiddingSmileAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com