Growing Up with Incarcerated Parents

What it Was Like

By Davis81 – Research Intern

When thinking about all the emotions and things I’ve experienced while my mom was in prison, I wish there were some things I could have changed when going through what I went through. So, pretty much I blamed myself for my mom going to prison. It sounds pretty weird, but it was something I struggled with. As a child, I constantly wanted to save everybody from everything, but when I found out my mom was sentenced, I felt defeated. I cried for hours; I did not know what would happen to my siblings and me. Still, to this day, I see that I am one of those people who wants to save everybody from everything they are going through. I know I can’t, but that is just me. I think that is why I know for a fact helping people is my calling. I want to help people better themselves, be better than they were the day before. I’ve watched my mom go through things that broke my heart, but she overcame every adversity she faced at that time, and I am so proud of her and will be proud forever and always. If I could go back in time, I would have liked to communicate with my mom more; I would have spoken with my siblings more, went to travel, and see them. Thinking back to that time frame, our relationship was different because we went from seeing each other every day to seeing each other like once a year then, no seeing each other at all. It was awkward, but my relationship with my siblings and mom is beyond intense now, and I love it!