I took my kids to Prison...

Another winter's day out of school might drive some mamas crazy! 

 Not me, no sir.

Just another day with 3 kids at home, 

I loaded my kids up and took them down to the local prison.

You think I'm kidding don't you?

Proof:

We actually went to the Texas Prison Museum about an hour North of The Woodlands.  Some people's mom takes them to the Children's Museum, some people to the park.  I take my deranged kids to the Prison museum and they LOVED it!  

I debated on whether they were old enough to comprehend all that it was about but they fell into place pretty easily.  Lincoln mostly rode the wooden horse made by the inmates there and Jackson and I really dove into the prisoner lives and consequences of their crimes.

This photo may have been perhaps the most compelling thing I saw while I was there.  I don't have strong feelings when it comes to prison sentences/ death penalty issues.  I usually feel that justice is served.  What I didn't realize is seeing the shoe on the other foot.  This exposition was photographs of the people either the executed inmate left behind or the family left behind from the inmates crime. It included the last statements of the inmates before their execution and a quote from the family of whom his crime was committed upon.  Surprisingly, the majority of the inmates had found peace and remorse in their actions.  More surprisingly, the families had found forgiveness and did NOT agree with the sentence being carried out against the inmate.  

The photo above was the mother of the executed man and the mother of the murdered man.

  Her quote was "A son is a son.  It doesn't matter whether you lose them as a victim or a criminal.  The pain is the same"

It was deep and thought provoking for both Jackson and I.

 You can see that Lincoln, however, was unaffected. 

There was lots of history of the prison system and how it has evolved.  

We enjoyed learning about the long spanning Prison Rodeo that ended in the 80's.  What a site that would have been for the boys!

And there he is.  Ol' Sparky.  This isn't a replica.  It's the ACTUAL electric chair used in Texas Prisons until the 70's!

Jackson and I read this together.  It was pretty deep.  It was a day in the life of an executed prisoner.

Jackson found the last meal idea  fascinating, that they would give you anything to eat before you died.  It is an odd concept.  

There is an actual jail cell replica inside too.  What could be more fun than locking your kids in a jail cell.  Scare tactic mothering.  Works for me!

Probably the cutest little cell mate ever!

Oops, I lost the keys....

Of course, they both had to take a turn on the jail cell potty.  We had a discussion about how they have no privacy because that is right we have.  I've had that one thrown back up in my face a few times.  I edited it to say kids don't have rights either, until they start paying bills!!