Jail Visits: Taking the Children With You to See Their Parent Inmate

Jail Visits: Taking the Children With You to See Their Parent Inmate

If you want to take children to a jail visit, it is important that you plan ahead. Children’s moods, ages and personalities all play a part in how successful the visit will be. Take these steps to ensure success. Your timing: If you have young children, take their nap times into consideration. Nothing is harder than trying to handle a tired, cranky toddler during a jail visit. Schedule the visits for after the nap, not before. The inmate would much rather see a rested happy child, than a winding down, tired, weepy child. Keeping a child interested: Jails sometimes provide play areas for children, but in most cases you are expected to keep your children with you and make them behave. Fill a tote bag with quiet toys, books, crayons, paper etc that they can use to entertain themselves at the visitation table or computer monitor. Discuss their behavior before going. For children old enough to understand, let them know where they are going, what behavior is expected and what the consequence will be if problems arise. Maintain an upbeat positive attitude about the visit, but let them know they must behave. Check out: Visiting our dad in prison Get them excited to go: Write several rewards on pieces of paper and keep them folded in a bowl. Tell your child if he behaves during the visit, when you get home, he can choose a “surprise reward” from the bowl of papers. Make it a weekly tradition and the child will start looking forward to visitation day. Sick kids: No matter how much the inmate wants to see his kids, if a child is sick it is best to get a sitter and leave him at home. Visitation can be loud, chaotic and stressful. A child who doesn’t feel well probably won’t behave his best, nor should he/she be expected to. Related: Who can an inmate add to their visitor’s list Final thoughts: If you have more than one or two kids, it is probably a good idea to have a friend accompany you to the visit and handle restroom needs and boredom issues. Related:  Children of Prisoners Library