Sometimes it is a relief. The child s age, understanding of the situation, and the reactions of others, particularly of family members, all play a part in the overall impact the experience will have on the child. Children may have different feelings, and sometimes even several feelings at once, or one right after the other. Children may have a lot of change in their lives when a parent goes to jail or prison. No one likes to feel insecure.
Many children feel guilty when their parent goes to jail or prison.
They may believe that they caused it to happen. It is very important to provide children with a non-judgmental, relaxed, unhurried, and safe place to express their feelings, thoughts, and beliefs about why their parent was incarcerated. They are not responsible for either the parent s behavior or the consequences of that behavior. Even if children are told they are the spitting image of the parent who went to jail or prison, this doesn t mean the child will travel down the same path. Children need to understand that each person is responsible for his or her own choices in life.