family time take a walk ron and catherine tijerina

5 Things to do as a family

Family time matters. Family time is one of the most powerful tools you can you use to keep your children safe. Time invested in your family will help your children avoid making bad choices. Does it even matter if one of your kids’ parents is in prison? Yes, it matters even more. Life is busy…

April 5, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Ten Ways to be a Better Mom

Being a Mom means you are facing new challenges every day. With every challenge, you realize you are still learning to become a better Mom. I am going to share my theory with you - the whole idea of a continuous improvement plan came from a Mom! As a mother, my greatest accomplishment was raising my…

March 22, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

prison blog parenting your children from prison

Family

How my Husband Raised His Children from Prison

When Dad goes to prison, children suffer. They suffer the loss of their father in their lives, their homes, and their financial support. However, just because their father is in prison doesn’t mean he cannot be actively involved in raising them. Yes, I really said that fathers who are in prison can still help…

March 18, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family Prison

Fighting your prison sentence the right way

The American judicial system is wrought with problems. Not everyone who goes to prison should be there, and not every sentence is just. Justice can be very elusive when the system fails. Prison is always devasting—but it is even more horrific when there is an injustice. Our judicial system fails, and thus lives are…

March 11, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family Mental Health

Support Group

“Support Group? That sounds like a place weak people go to complain about their lives. I do not need that!” This is what I often hear from women who are trying to find their footing as their husbands/partners go to prison. I tell them, “If that is what you think a support group is,…

March 8, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

partrner in prison ron & cathy tijierina

Family Prison

How to deal with your Partner in Prison

Dealing with your partner in prison is hard. Your entire life has been tipped upside down and you are hanging on for dear life. You are trying to process all the areas of your life that have been furthermore affected by his incarceration. It is a lot to process! Although your heart is…

March 1, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

ron and cathy tijerina 2019 budgeting for single mom

Family

Setting your 2019 Budget with a Family in Mind

We are well into 2019 now and it has already been an eventful and surprising year for us! The check engine lights came on in both of our cars, my washing machine broke down, our daughter turned 16 at the end of 2018 and is driving so our insurance jumped way up. It is crazy…

February 26, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Activities Family Prison

Games to play during visits

How to enhance your family time in your next prison visit Everywhere I look, I see information about the importance of spending quality time together as a family. Family time is credited with reducing risky behavior among youth, increasing success at school, and a whole host of positive outcomes for children and families. Setting aside time…

February 22, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family Prison

Prison food hacks – how to make vending machine food taste better

Are you tired of eating the same old vending machine? I am sure you sick of the vending food if you have been visiting more than four times. If so, I have some great ideas on how to make that over-processed food taste better! I spent 15 years visiting Ron in prisons. I…

February 15, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com

Family

Scrapbook Your Family Photos

Time flies - even when we feel like the days are dragging by. I am always amazed at how quickly weeks become months, and months turn into years. If you don’t believe me, just look at your children. They are changing and growing up more every day. Change happens. We cannot stop it, but…

February 13, 20190Comments

Bycatherine@theridgeproject.com