A Letter to Children and Parents While We're Apart was inspired by real conversations with my own children. When our family experienced separation because of incarceration, my children shared things that broke my heart. They told me about missing me at school events, wishing I could help with homework, wanting me there when they were scared, excited, hurt, or proud. They shared feelings they didn't always know how to put into words—sadness, anger, confusion, embarrassment, loneliness, and sometimes even guilt. What touched me most was that, despite everything, they never stopped wanting to feel connected, loved, and remembered. As a mother, I learned that children don't just miss the person who is gone. They miss the routines, the hugs, the laughter, the encouragement, and the feeling of knowing someone is always there for them. Separation can leave children with questions they don't know how to ask and feelings they don't know how to express.