Ex who goes to prison, what to tell the child?

[MsFrosty]

If your ex was going to prison and could be sentenced for more than 18 months, what do you think is reasonable to tell an under 10 year old? Child and ex have a regular relationship so ex being missed would be noticed. Do you tell the child the truth?

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

Difficult.

What has he been convicted of? How mature is the child?

[Jackshouse]

I would. It’s better for you to tell him the truth than for him to find out from somebody else.

[Tirednessandmoretiredness]

I think it would depend on what he was going down for.....

[Popc0rn]

My friends dad went to prison for a couple of years (for fraud), her mum told her that he was working abroad. She found out the truth when she was older and was fine with it.

That was back in the 90s though, so probably easier to lie about it then pre skype/facetime etc.

[LemonBreeland]

I think these things often have a way of coming out so the child should be told.

Will the child not be visiting the prison at all?

[thecatsthecats]

To be clear, is the child the ex's?

It also depends on what the crime is, to be honest. If it's the sort of crime where you would cut contact afterwards, and the child might feel some sort of abandoment, then they need to know they weren't left because of who they are.

[PCohle]

I would opt for the truth to be honest. To much to explain away otherwise and too much chance of the truth coming out in a manner than might be more distressing to the child.

My view might be changed if the offence was such the father wouldn't have any future contact with the DC, even on release.

[Bitterprisonwife]

Try and tell the truth as much as possible , as from experience people are cruel and take great joy about gossiping .

[Chloemol]

Yes you tell the truth, you can’t justify lying to a child

[Alloftheboys]

Too vague.
Depends on the charge and maturity of the child.

[MsFrosty]

Offence is white collar so no danger to the public and ideally contact would resume post sentence.

[MsFrosty]

Child is sensitive but also attuned to listening in on conversations so concern is that when it gets into the paper/Facebook he would hear gossip

[GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]

Thanks for the update.

In that case, I would be honest with the child. Say that ex did a bad thing, and that this is his punishment.

(Also if there's any risk that other kids at school find out via their parents/social media etc, he will find out any way). Best that you talk and come up with a strategy for him to deal with it.

[Bitterprisonwife]

Please take care of yourself in the mean time and try not to read the newspaper / Facebook comments someone else’s sentence can effect you in ways you never dreamed xxx

[ThanksForAllTheFish]

If the child is really young I know there’s a seasame Street phone app for this very thing (discovered it when searching elmo apps a couple of years ago) it’s called something like Sesame Street - my daddy’s been incarcerated. It’s obviously aimed at very young children so might not be relevant if your child is 8/9.

[MsFrosty]

Just to advise child isn't mine but close to us. Both parents disagree over what to tell the child. One wants to tell the children and the other doesn't. Its very awkward but I can see both sides

[pinkhorse]

My brother in law went to prison recently and my dsis told her dd (9) that he'd gone to work away.

[trulybadlydeeply]

I think you have to be honest about it, and explain in basic terms. Otherwise if the child finds out from someone else it could be extremely hurtful for them. Dependent on their age you could also discuss how to respond if someone does bring it up, and who to tell if anyone is nasty about it.

Will you or your ex's family be taking the child to visit? 18 months is a long time for a child (and for a father) and the prison should be supportive and facilitate contact - many will have family days which are geared around young children.

[Purpleartichoke]

My daughter is 9. She also has bad anxiety. I would still tell her the truth. You can never go wrong with an age appropriate version of the truth.

[Bitterprisonwife]

Also the possibility of visits may arise , and they will be very hard to disguise as work or anything else I swore my children wouldn’t go to visit as prisons are no place for children but unfortunately once it hit the papers and people took great delight in telling my dcs which resulted in shear anxiety from both dcs about those places and the story’s they had been fed I relented and took them .

[Myheartbelongsto]

My boyfriend went to prison.

I told my children that he was working away and his son the truth.

[OrdinarySnowflake]

Realistically, if they don't tell why daddy has gone away, they'll have to lie as the child will notice their dad disappearing for 18 months.

Sooner or later, someone will correct them if they repeat the lie, and then they will not trust both parents. Be honest.

[Disfordarkchocolate]

I think you should be honest with children when you can, especially with something she could find out herself ie if it is reported in the local paper. If he's going to be gone between 9 and 18 months she could visit him in prison.

[Lovemusic33]

I would tell the truth, if they don’t tell the child the truth it could cause a lot more damage later on when they find out family lied to them, you just tell them that daddy did something and he needs to be punished.

[NannyRed]

Be honest.

If it’s an 18 month + sentence it’s not for skipping payments of parking fines.

Tell your child, sometimes people do ‘silly things’ and they are naughty, naughty people have to go to prison.

Also make sure your child knows that ‘silly’ people can’t always get the jobs they want or even go on holiday to the place they want because if someone is naughty they have to pay for their naughtiness.

I hope you don’t make your ex out to be some sort of a hero! I’d be mortified if I even knew someone with a criminal record.