what would you tell your kids? if you were going to jail

I am going to jail in a few months and i am stuck on telling my 3 year old son where i am going..i dont want to tell him im going to jail and not sure what is the best thing to say...i will be gone for around a year...

what would you do?

 

I tell him the truth.

tell him the truth.

i wouldnt lie, is he not going to visit you?

tell him you did something wrong, and you are paying the consequences.

I don't think a 3 yr old would be able to understand the concept of Jail all that well, but I would definitely be honest with the child and tell them you will be gone, but he can visit sometimes. Also be sure to be straight forward when they are older and use your mistake as a lesson for your child to learn from.

  full time? You can't do a partial time
Incarceration? Like my dad used to go on weekends. Idk if I'd tell him you were oI f to jail. He probably won't know exactly what that means. I'd just say you made a mistake and it's not his fault and you have to go away for awhile but you'll call and he's gona be taken care of by so and so and you love him.

How long and for what? I dont think you have to tell him that you are going to jail just say you going to go for a little while somewhere. Make up something. He is to young to even understand the whole mommy going to jail thing. Might just confuse him and even upset him.

We were older, but my mom told us where she was going. She told us that she did some bad things, and had to go make things right. We were heartbroken, but looking back I'm thankful she did it.

We were also older (6 and up) and we would have fully realized where she was when we went to visit.

I would try to make some special videos or something for him to be watching over this next year, especially if he won't be able to come see you every week or so.

My friend told her daughter she was going to grown up time out cause she didn't think she would understand what jail meant.

A 3 year old isn't going to understand jail. It's not going to matter what you tell him. Tell him mommy will be gone for a little while, but you'll be back.

My nephew was 3 around the time that my husband went to a community corrections. He didn't understand any of it, just that his uncle was gone. But really...He was still young enough to where he didn't notice he wasn't around(most of the time) and for how long.

I think I would be honest. An I guess something like sometimes mommy needs a time out too. I love you and I will think about you every day. I will miss you. Is he going to be able to come visit you?

<blockquote><b>Quoting E.P. Mom:</b>" I don't think a 3 yr old would be able to understand the concept of Jail all that well, but I would definitely ... [snip!] ... Also be sure to be straight forward when they are older and use your mistake as a lesson for your child to learn from. "</blockquote>




True but isnt it hard for a child to see mom from a glass. Unless they can physically be able to hug and cuddle. Is going to be more heartbreaking. Imo.

<blockquote><b>Quoting the grace life:</b>" We were older, but my mom told us where she was going. She told us that she did some bad things, and ... [snip!] ... or something for him to be watching over this next year, especially if he won't be able to come see you every week or so. "</blockquote>



I agree, would it help to compare it to time out?

Quoting the grace life:" We were older, but my mom told us where she was going. She told us that she did some bad things, and ... [snip!] ... or something for him to be watching over this next year, especially if he won't be able to come see you every week or so. "

I think that would be a great idea!

Quoting the grace life:" We were older, but my mom told us where she was going. She told us that she did some bad things, and ... [snip!] ... or something for him to be watching over this next year, especially if he won't be able to come see you every week or so. "

Definitely a good idea!!

My husband did this for me before he went and I watched them..over and over. When we thought he may be going back, I was 6 months pregnant so he made some videos for me to play to our son so he would know his voice.

Quoting KelseyLynn:" My friend told her daughter she was going to grown up time out cause she didn't think she would understand what jail meant."

I really like this idea. It's equivalent to what a 3 year old would understand.