Would you disown your child if they committed a serious crime?

[Anonymous]

My mother once told me that she would disown me if I ever broke the law.

Personally I would never. Obviously I don't think that my kids will ever break the law. If they did (God forbid), of course I would want them held accountable for their actions but could never disown them.

[Anonymous]

No. This is called unconditional love. You don’t approve of what they do but they are always your kids and you are always their mother.

[Anonymous]

What kind of serious crime?

I would need to distance myself for pedophilia, rape, and similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. This is called unconditional love. You don’t approve of what they do but they are always your kids and you are always their mother.

+1. My mom told me she’d love me even if I killed her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of serious crime?

I would need to distance myself for pedophilia, rape, and similar.

By serious crime, I mean anything that causes serious injury/long-term consequences.

I think it's understandable that you would distance yourself in those cases. If you don't mind me asking, why? Would it be because of the social stigma, or because you would need to protect yourself and your family from them?

[Anonymous]

There’s obviously a spectrum of how horrific a crime is. Robbing a bank? Probably not? Torturing and murdering a family including children? Probably. Abusing their own children? Probably though I’d stay close to try to protect the kids.

It would be out of disgust for them as a person, not out of embarrassment for me. I’d of course be sad and mourn the sweet innocent child they once were and still love that person, but not the person they became

[Anonymous]

Rape, murder, and pedophilia - yes.

I was just thinking about this yesterday, actually. I watched a Casey Anthony documentary. Her father has disowned her; her mother has not. I’m with the dad.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the crime and the intent. The most horrific crimes against someone innocent- yes, I would mourn and disown.

[Anonymous]

You can hold your child accountable for his/her actions and change your boundaries to keep yourself and your other family safe without disowning him/her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. This is called unconditional love. You don’t approve of what they do but they are always your kids and you are always their mother.

+1. My mom told me she’d love me even if I killed her.

These are the first ones to disown. All talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of serious crime?

I would need to distance myself for pedophilia, rape, and similar.

By serious crime, I mean anything that causes serious injury/long-term consequences.

I think it's understandable that you would distance yourself in those cases. If you don't mind me asking, why? Would it be because of the social stigma, or because you would need to protect yourself and your family from them?

It would be because of the strong, overwhelming surge of hatred and disgust I feel for pedophiles and rapists. Would YOU be able to remain in the life of a man who, for example, raped a baby? Murdered somebody for the fun of it? Etc. There are some crimes that invalidate a person's worth as a human being.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can hold your child accountable for his/her actions and change your boundaries to keep yourself and your other family safe without disowning him/her.

Depends on the actions, remorse, mental state, and age of the “child.” I’ve been envisioning an adult rather than an actual child in this scenario. An adult who tortures and/or murders an innocent in cold blood, without remorse? I would have no reason not to disown. There would be nothing left to love.

[Anonymous]

I would be devastated. I’d question my parenting and what I did wrong for the rest of my life. I’d hold them accountable and wouldn’t defend their crimes. But no I would not disown them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be devastated. I’d question my parenting and what I did wrong for the rest of my life. I’d hold them accountable and wouldn’t defend their crimes. But no I would not disown them.

+1 this

[Anonymous]

No