Maintaining Good Communication While Your Child is in Prison

When your children are born you have dreams of them growing up to be happy, healthy, well-adjusted adults. You never expect that one day you'll be visiting your squirming bundle of joy behind bars.

When my stepson received a 13-month prison sentence for repeated THC possession, it was a shock to him and the entire family. He was barely 19, had never been in jail prior to his current offense, didn't have a history of violence, and had a good work record. True, he had a long string of marijuana-related offenses, but nothing prepared us to hear the word 'prison.'

Everything we knew about prison, we'd learned from television and movies, so we feared the worst. Fortunately, our fears had little to do with reality. After a few weeks at a maximum-security facility for processing, our son was sent to a medium-security facility, which bore no resemblance to anything on television. He was safe, well fed, and able to pursue his education, play sports, attend religious services, and enjoy a variety of hobbies.

For our part, we vowed to do what we could to help our son know he was still an important part of the family. Although there were a lot of stipulations to follow, we found the road to maintaining good communication wasn't all that difficult to navigate. Each facility has their own lengthy set of rules, but if your child receives a prison sentence, you will soon become familiar with the specifics of their institution and can keep your family ties strong.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do while your child is incarcerated is writing them frequently. Fill pages with news of your daily routine, what's happening with the family, and words of encouragement. Tuck in occasional photos if allowed and send a greeting card every now and then. Your child will treasure your cards and letters and read them over and over again.