Parenting can be one of the toughest jobs that there is depending on the age of your kids. Infants and toddlers obviously need far more attention than independent teenagers. Teaching your children to follow your example can be difficult if your spouse has recently been arrested for drug possession or DUI. Substance abuse runs rampant throughout the world whether people have trouble with alcohol or narcotics. Taking a proactive approach to helping your spouse find treatment or programs that will help them cope with substance is important. The following are tips to handling when your spouse has been arrested for drug possession.
Be Honest with Teens
A father or mother not coming home for a night then calling from a county jail might notify a teen of an arrest immediately. Hiding this from a teenager is an option but allowing them to know addiction is serious can be a teaching moment. Younger children need to be shielded from this and your spouse needs to work on their recovery. Addiction is common in some families due to genetics which is why some families might have more addicts or alcoholics than others.
Hire an Attorney
You most likely are going to have to search for a felony lawyer when arrested for drugs. Attorneys that have worked in the local area for years on criminal cases can be a huge help. Working deals out with prosecutors can allow your spouse to enter a rehab program instead of facing jail time. These programs can be entered into right after an arrest and progress can allow a judge to know your spouse is working on recovery. Lack of action could show no remorse and could lead to a harsher sentence. Arrests can be alarming but can also serve as a wakeup call that an addiction is out of control.
Set Rules for Being Around the Children
No parent wants their children around their spouse when they are drunk or high. Keeping drugs in the home can lead both parents to lose the children as it is a dangerous circumstance. Most people can tell when their spouse is impaired so keep an eye out. If your spouse is working their program, a great reward can be spending time sober with the kids. People in recovery need both internal and external motivation to stay sober on their toughest of days.
Enter a Program Yourself for Enabling
You might be enabling your spouse without realizing it which has led their addiction to worsen. There are plenty of programs that can show you how to be supportive during recovery. Understanding addiction is one of the steps as people that have not encountered an addict before might not comprehend how to respond. There could be others in the family that should enroll in this program as well. United families can help create a support system to promote sobriety.
Take the time to assess the situation after your spouse has been arrested for drug possession. Recovery is a long road so make sure you are ready as your children do not deserve an addict parent that pops in and out of their life.