Outside the Razor Wire w/ Pork DAWG
Today’s Question:
“My son just got 40 years in prison. What do I do?”
First off—my heart goes out to you.
Not because I’ve been in your shoes, but because I put my own mother through that pain. She did that time with me—even though she was on the outside.
When your son goes to prison, you do the time too.
Forty years is a heavy number. If it’s not aggravated, parole might come sooner. But the emotional stretch starts now—for you.
You’re about to feel hope, fear, anger, guilt, love, all at once.
My mom wrestled with two voices:
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“He’s grown. Let him face it.”
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“That’s my baby. I’ll never stop loving him.”
Eventually, she said:
“If you ever go back, you’ll go alone. I’ve done enough time already.”
💡 How to Support Without Enabling
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Set boundaries. $100–125/month is enough. If he complains, remember—he’ll eat. Let him learn to hustle.
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Don’t shield him from consequences. If he loses commissary? Let it be.
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Feed his mind. Send books. Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Robert Kiyosaki. Those authors changed me.
✨ Hope for Change
I did 18 years. I blamed everyone. Until I looked in the mirror and realized: I was the problem.
Your son can change. But he has to want it.
🧠 You’re Doing Time Too
You’ll live for letters, calls, visits. You’ll cry, doubt, get angry. That’s normal.
But don’t give up—even if he does.
Sometimes a mother’s hope is the only light in the dark.
This has been How to Embrace the Storm 101 with Pork Dawg.