Check with seller What Are the Challenges of Parenting from Prison? Cherry Hill

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a parent while serving time behind bars? The distance creates a painful divide between families, filled with longing, guilt, and uncertainty. Iranian-American author Hassan Nemazee explores these emotional and systemic struggles in his US prison reform book, “Persia, Politics & Prison.” His story opens a window into a world most people never see. Understanding these challenges is the first step toward empathy and meaningful change.

Parenting from prison is one of the hardest experiences anyone can face. You miss the small, everyday moments that build a family. You are not there for scraped knees, school plays, or bedtime stories. Birthdays and holidays pass without you. If you are lucky, you see your children growing up through pictures or short visits. The sense of loss is constant, and the guilt can be overwhelming.

Communication makes everything harder. Phone calls are expensive and often limited to just a few minutes. Visits take place in cold, controlled environments where touch and privacy are rare. Trying to comfort your child through a glass partition or a brief phone call feels impossible. The system makes maintaining a parent-child bond extremely difficult, and every missed moment deepens the emotional gap.

Children also suffer in ways that are often invisible. They may feel confused, abandoned, or ashamed. Many face bullying or judgment at school. Without their parent’s guidance and presence, their emotional development can stall. They might act out or withdraw. These children carry a weight that is far too heavy for their age, and the stigma of having a parent in prison can follow them for years.

The challenges don’t end when a parent is released. Rebuilding trust and closeness takes time. Both the parent and the child have changed. It takes patience, consistency, and open communication to repair the relationship. Some families succeed; others struggle under the strain of years apart.

Society often overlooks these families, but they are a vital part of the broader conversation about justice reform. Supporting parents in prison means supporting the next generation as well. Programs that encourage contact, family therapy, and education can help break the cycle of incarceration and strengthen families for the future.

To understand the human side of incarceration, we must listen to the people who have lived it. Hassan Nemazee’s “Persia, Politics & Prison” offers a personal look at life behind bars and the ripple effects it has on loved ones. Visit his website to learn more about his book and speaking engagements on criminal justice reform.

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