Incarceration affects every member of a family not just the person behind bars. Children, spouses, parents, and siblings all navigate their own version of the experience often without support or guidance. This section covers the full range of challenges families face including maintaining relationships through letters and calls, explaining incarceration to children, managing finances on a reduced income, navigating the visitation process, supporting a loved one through the emotional difficulty of incarceration, and preparing for reentry together. The questions answered here come from real families in real situations, parents who have not heard from their son in weeks, spouses managing alone, children trying to understand where their parent went. InmateAid was built by someone who experienced both sides of this equation and the guidance here reflects that understanding. Families are not bystanders in this process. They are essential to their loved one's success both inside and after release. See also our sections on Visitation, Relationship Issues, and Send Inmate Mail.