Having a family member or a close friend in prison is overwhelming and difficult to cope with. You may encounter feelings of shame or deep sadness and find it tough to talk about.
However, there are different ways you can show support to your loved one and maintain a relationship with them despite their circumstances. Keep reading to learn how.
Send money if you can
Sadly, many people who have an incarcerated loved one don’t send money to them, even when they can afford to. Without enough money, your loved one in prison can’t afford basic things, such as communication tools.
Also, if your family member in prison has a little extra cash, they’ll be able to afford other items that’ll make their stay less harsh, such as tasty snacks or care products. So, if you’re able to, send a regular amount of cash to your family member.
Always answer their phone calls
Remember, it costs money to place a phone call in prison. So, if by any chance your relative in jail tries to contact you and you don’t pick up, they would’ve spent their money for nothing.
Depending on the situation, you might feel hesitant to pick up the phone, or you might resent them, making you not want to speak to them.
Be considerate and try to answer the phone every time your family member from prison calls. If you’re afraid of facing an awkward silence or not knowing what to say, just share your personal experiences and tell them what you’ve been up to. They’ll probably be excited to hear about it.
Write them letters
Phone calls are more expensive than sending out letters. Or, perhaps your relative in prison might not even have an account to receive money.
One of the most useful tips to follow to maintain communication with them is by contacting them through handwritten letters. They’re cheaper and a lot more meaningful. Plus, they’re able to keep your handwritten letters and read them as many times as they want, which can be comforting for them.
Visit them in prison
Do you know what your family member will miss the most in prison? Human interaction with their loved ones.
Your circumstances might make it challenging for you to visit them, such as a busy work schedule, transportation issues, or other problems. Or you might be afraid of simply entering a prison.
But at that moment, you need to set your fear aside and make the time to visit your loved one. They need your moral support now more than ever, and it’ll mean the absolute world to them if you make an effort to see them.
Maintain a relationship with a family member with these tips
If your family member is in prison, just remember you’re not alone. It’s not an easy situation to cope with. But, if you make an effort to put these tips into practice and manage to maintain a relationship with them, you’ll find it a lot easier to endure. If you’ve found these suggestions helpful, then take a look at the rest of the articles on our blog for similar posts.
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