my three year old daughter tara keeps asking where her dad is and he is in jail how do i tell her?
2006-08-02 10:33:35 · 17 answers · asked by sweet thang 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
"daddy made a little mistake and got in trouble. hes in a time out right now for a very long time, but we can visit him sometimes."
2006-08-02 10:40:17 · answer #1 · answered by nola 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well first of all if you can help it..do not take her to visit..and do not stand outside the jail with her and wave. i work at a jail..and i feel so sorry for the kids standing outside...waving and coming to visit. she is three... so hopefully daddy will straighten up his act and she will not remember that he was away. she is not in school so kids who can be cruel...will not beable to make fun and tell her where daddy really is. can you not get away with daddy going bye bye and being back later. if she knows the word jail..then tell her... it is like when she is naughty and has time out. daddy has time out. this is so hard.. because there is no really good answer... and children are so different. some let it go and wait..until dad pops up again and others just wont let it alone. i would down play it at her age,.
2006-08-02 17:41:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That must be tough, but I think you should tell her part of the truth--that dad can't go home for a while because he has done something wrong and is now making up for it in jail.
Don't really give her all the details though--wait after a few years when she's ready to understand.
2006-08-02 17:55:15 · answer #3 · answered by the_memory_of_ashes 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How long is he in jail for?
For now, just tell her the vacation thing, or make up something. Explain to her later when she's 12 or 13, maybe 11.
2006-08-02 17:38:47 · answer #4 · answered by Lecrapface 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell her that daddy had to go away for awhile, and won't be home. If she asks how long...tell her..and help her make a calendar where she can mark how much longer he'll be gone.
If she asks why he's gone, explain to her that he got in trouble and he has to make up for it, but that means he can't be home until he takes care of what he did.
2006-08-02 17:39:18 · answer #5 · answered by Kaia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would ask a counselor the best approach to that one. Good Luck. 3 is such an impressionable age. I have a son that is turning 3 on saturday.
2006-08-02 17:38:06 · answer #6 · answered by Jennifer B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honesty! You never EVER want to lie to your child.
Just tell her that daddy did a bad thing, and the police man had to put him in time out. Always comfort her, and tell her that mommy and daddy love her. Take her out to the park, play outside, just try to keep her mind off of it as much as possible.
2006-08-02 17:40:20 · answer #7 · answered by c_w_b_21 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely. If there's one thing she learns from her father, its that crime doesn't pay.
Never hide the truth from your children. Kids are part of the real world from birth. It doesn't start somewhere after graduation from high school.
2006-08-02 17:39:00 · answer #8 · answered by Privratnik 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends how long he'll be there. My fiance was in for 10 months and we told the boys he was in the hospital. They still believe that.
2006-08-02 17:38:25 · answer #9 · answered by orionsgirl76 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell her he's in a very interesting hotel and will be back soon and thinks of you two often... and that he gets to help make lisence plates!
2006-08-02 17:44:03 · answer #10 · answered by PureSerendipity 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋