How many times have you heard someone say that their child got in with the bad crowd?  Saying that someone else's child is the bad crowd is an excuse for your child's behavior.  When you blame someone else for your child's bad actions, you are trying to justify their bad behavior.  I bet if I asked the other child's parents if their kid was the bad crowd, they would deny it.  Furthermore, they would point the finger at your child and say they are the bad crowd.

Accepting responsibility for your actions is talked about in the Bible.  Take a look at this verse from 1 Corinthians.  Paul describes the maturing of his behavior.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NASB When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

Being in denial about your actions is childish behavior.  Paul talks about doing away with childish actions when you become an adult.  If you are not used to accountability in your life, the chances are that you are raising your kids to be the same way.  If you never grew up and continued your childish ways, you are training your children to do the same.  Saying that your child got in with the bad crowd is not only silly but simply not true.

Join the bad crowd at your own free will.

God gave everyone free will.  Our minds were created to know right from wrong.  We make decisions based on our own choices.  Not for one moment do I believe that the excuse for being in the bad crowd is justifiable.  Even if others easily influence your child, they still choose to make decisions.  The decisions that your child makes do have consequences.  Free will is given to everyone so that you can willfully make decisions.

If you find yourself making excuses for your children, stop it.  You are not doing anything to help them make better choices in life.  All you are doing is masking their bad behavior.  If you choose a life without God, you will continue to make wrong decisions.  If you have God in your life, you will still fail at times.  The difference in the two scenarios is one path leads to forgiveness and the other lead to an eternity in hell.  Most bad decisions that are made on earth happen when we are not walking with the Lord.  Stay strong in the Lord, and he will guide your path.