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Honestly and soon, before classmates show them the news. Laura told her kids at Chick-fil-A after kids at school had already shown them the press release. Then she asked me to stop talking about her husband.
A stop near Ojai
I was driving home from Santa Barbara when I stopped near Ojai to meet Laura.
Her husband had been sentenced to ten years in New York and taken into custody at the hearing. He'd told her two or three, at most.
She told the kids after school, at Chick-fil-A. They were eleven and fourteen. Kids at school had already shown them the Department of Justice press release on their phones.
I kept steering toward how we could help her husband get home sooner. It's what I'm conditioned to do.
"Can you stop talking about how my husband can get home from prison earlier? I don't care about that today."
She wanted to talk about parenting, about how I raise my kids after prison.
So I told her about book reports with my daughter. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
"Tell me about Charlie."
"He's poor."
"What else? Do better."
By the end, she said, "Charlie is truly the hero of the story."
That's the same thing we ask people inside to do with every book: why you read it, what you learned, how you'll use it.
About one in five people who call us is a spouse or a child. Our team works with them too, on what they need, not only on what he needs.
If you're reading this for someone you love, the call is for you.
Schedule a free call with our team.
Questions people ask
How do I explain prison to young children?
Simply and truthfully, in words that fit their age. Tell them who will take care of them and how you'll stay in touch.
Is there help for spouses and children?
Yes. About one in five people who call us is a spouse or a child, and our team works with them on what they need.
Read next: Part 14: What Records Should Your Case Manager See From You?
Written by
Justin Paperny
Founder White Collar Advice
