3 Lifelines To Keep You Afloat 🌊

3 Lifelines To Keep Afloat

Have you ever heard the saying that knowledge is power? That’s so true on this journey. As parents experiencing a new world they ever imagined themselves, we often feel an intense battle for control. Living in a world that suddenly involves an arrest & court hearings feels intimidating. We are so overwhelmed by the emotional aspect of everything, the idea of grasping the legal side of things feels like a battle we are simply not equipped to fight. 

There is one small secret most parents coming into the system don’t realize.  A tiny but powerful shift occurs when we move from not knowing what to expect to a basic understanding of what the court process will look like for our child. The more we educate ourselves on this process, the more we will feel a small but welcome sense of control. While we may not have control over the desired outcome, we begin to feel a sense of control over ourselves. That slight shift of power makes a bigger difference than you might imagine.

So today, I wanted to talk about 3 resources we offer to help make this process a little less overwhelming. Over time, these three small actions add up to a significant change in the powerlessness we wrestle with today. These three proactive steps create a slight shift onto a path towards healing:

1.  Read the F.A.Q Tab on our website. The Frequently Asked Questions tab covers a lot of common questions parents have while navigating the juvenile courts. Reading through the questions and answers, other parents have asked can help provide some welcome insight. Some of the information provided is specific to my local county. However, it can still offer a basic understanding of how things may work in your community.
2. Listen to Episodes 1 and 2 of the Unyielding Podcast*.  These episodes were designed to break down the basics of what you can expect while walking beside your child through the juvenile court system. In them, I cover some legal terms, describe what the court process will look like, and even touch on record sealing and probation. It’s a lot of information, so take it in doses. Listening through once will help plant the seed, so you know where to find the information when you are ready.
3. Schedule time to talk to one of our mentors. Talk to other parents who’ve shared these same experiences and can provide you with the type of emotional support that only comes from someone who has walked the road you are on. We are here so that you can lead your family through this process with as few regrets as possible.
4. BONUS: We also have a Private Facebook Community. I like to think of it as a place to get away from social media’s highlight reels. Here, we are diligent about creating a place where you will experience community.  It is a safe place to ask questions and talk about your feelings with other families who have had shared experiences. Only members can see who is in the group and what is posted.

Your path to hope is paved with doing little things that are in your control. Our goal is to help you get through this journey feeling good about how you led your family through this season. Every situation in life provides us with an opportunity to learn. We want you to be in a place where you can extract every single ounce of growth you can out of this experience. You were not meant to walk through this alone. We are here to walk beside you whenever you are ready. 

*Unyielding is available on our website and on most podcast platforms, including:

Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unyielding/id1589817615
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/6Qqa7lmGZFbcwj2zOfQHV3
Amazon Music
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ebf6d8e-2e2a-4ee6-847c-496be72db72c