unruly children’s behavior
The purpose of the law is mainly to establish fair standards, maintain order, resolve disputes, and protect human rights and liberties. This is always at every level in society, especially when the actions of the individual could cause harm to others and themselves. Members of the community also include children who might be out of control or acting in a manner that requires external reinforcement. As discussed, it is evident that the scope of punishable offenses is not only aimed at punishing the child, but they are also a way to show them what their future could look like if they continued with the same behavior. In as much as judicial intervention can be an alternative in rectifying behavior, given the sensitivity involved in the teenage years, it should be supplemented with other corrective measures (Roush, 2019). This is because in most cases where teenagers start committing offenses and are punished primarily through the system without other interventions, they tend to repeat these offenses in the future.
In regards to the scope of unruly children’s behavior, the provisions of the law seem to cover behavior under general terms. This is where the issue with the law comes in as interpretations also vary depending on how an individual understands the law. Misinterpretations of the law for juveniles can be severe and affect them for the rest of their lives. It is, therefore, important that the law provides a detailed interpretation of these offenses to ensure that the kind of rehabilitation being sort requires the intervention of the juvenile system (Howell, 2019). In some cases, parents have tried to evade their responsibilities towards their children by sending them to juvenile facilities. Therefore, in as much as the parents’ decision is important, the system needs to conduct the necessary investigations before the child is taken into the system.
The effects of juvenile imprisonment on the child, as mentioned, can have both positive and negative impacts on the child. It is therefore important for parents to look at both sides of this option before making a final decision. Modern society has transformed how behavior is reinforced in our children. These days, there are quite a number of programs, boot camps, and better intervention measures that could minimize the unforeseen negative impacts of taking the child into the juvenile system (Maroun, 2019). Peers tend to isolate children who have been in the juvenile system, and therefore, this continues to fuel their rebellious behavior. Therefore, this decision needs to be taken with consideration of the consequences that it could have on the child, the family, and the future of both parties.
Here on earth, parents are God’s chosen representatives in bringing up, disciplining, and supporting their children. It is for this reason that children are expected to “Honor their father and their mother: that their days may be long on the land which the LORD God gives them” (Exodus 20:12, English Standard Version). As people tasked with this responsibility from God, parents need to play their part without hesitation. It is unfortunate that in our society today, parents have focused more on making money and providing their children with materialistic items as a way to make up the time they should be dedicating to raise their children in the way God expects. Children tend to emulate the behavior they observe from their caregivers, and sometimes parents also need to assess their behavior to understand what could be behind their children’s negative behavior.
Parents also tend to encourage some types of behaviors among their children since they do not punish their children. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11, English Standard Version); therefore, parents need to learn how to punish their children immediately to avoid reinforcing their negative behavior which could affect them in future. Therefore, as God has instructed parents, it is important to raise our children under his command actively, He will guide us to grant us the wisdom to make the right decisions.