Bringing Joy to Children of Incarcerated Parents

Hello and welcome to episode #26. My guest today is Shari Scher, an inspiring woman who, while working in the public school system of Frederick County Maryland, saw that children of incarcerated parents and their families, needed help. Her efforts led to the formation Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership or COIPP. This non-profit is dedicated to giving children affected by incarceration a voice in the community, in the schools and in their families.

Today’s show is brought to you by StoryWorth, a brilliant online service that helps your loved ones tell the story of their lives through thought-provoking questions about their memories and personal thoughts. Sign up today by going to www.storyworth.com/joy You’ll get $20 off your first purchase!

They say that one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is to let them truly know you. In order to do this we have to give ourselves time to reflect, heal, give thanks and make meaning of our lives.

I don’t know about you but I can barely find time to make a healthy dinner let alone carve out quiet time to reflect on my life and legacy. That’s where Storyworth comes in. Each week, for a year, they send you a question about your life and at the end of the year you receive a beautiful hardbound book filled with your answers.

My first question was “What were your favorite childhood toys”. I hadn’t thought about my giant brown suitcase full of Barbies in years so It was fun to go down memory lane and write about one of my childhood joys. Answering the questions is as simple as hitting the reply button and I can’t wait to pass along a beautiful book to each of my children. Oh, and did I mention you can include photos in your book? Storyworth is genius and I think it should be at the top of everyone’s gift-giving list!

Preserve and pass on memories with StoryWorth, the most meaningful gift for your family. I hope you love Storyworth as much as I do! Sign up today by going to www.storyworth.com/joy You’ll get $20 off your first purchase!

When a child has a voice that is heard and validated they are more likely to be protected from adverse childhood experiences like the fear that accompanies having a parent arrested. Protective factors such as safe, stable and nurturing relationships can make all the difference when it comes to children becoming resilient and healthy adults. This is one of the many reasons why it’s so important to support and nurture every parent’s ability to grow, learn and develop positive parenting skills. Another aspect of COIPP that truly tends to the needs of these children is the social connections aspect of the programming. Having the opportunity to make friends and experience social and cultural events strengthens social and emotional health. When we are emotionally strong, feel supported by our community and have people who care, we can tap into our joy factor! All children deserve to be worry free and consistently offered opportunities to experience joy in their everyday lives. I hope this episode has inspired you and that you find a little joy in your day! Thanks for listening and take care!

What can the average person do to help children of incarcerated parents:

1. Be non-judgmental. Parents love their children.
2. Greet children with interest and joy. Kids have better radar have better radar than many grown-ups. It takes little time to look in a child’s eyes and say, How are you?
3. Help the caregiver of that child.
4. Respect the community from which they come and recognize that trauma impacts everyone.

Resources mentioned on the show:

Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership COIPP

Girl Scouts Behind Bars

The National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Child Welfare

COIPP Community Partners

Curious Iguana

Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts

Thorpewood

Books

The Rabbit Listened by

The Dot