What to Tell Children About a Parent's Addiction
Tuesday January 27, 2009
Children living in homes where there is parental substance abuse can find life difficult, unpredictable and confusing. Sometimes they even believe the alcohol or drug abuse is their fault. What do you tell children when one or both of their parents are alcoholics or addicts?Children and Substance Abuse:
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Comments
I recently directed a film about a child affected by her father’s alcoholism. Enclosed is the link for you to view the film.
http://films.thelot.com/films/851
Best,
Jodi Leib
Film Director
I have had a great deal of experience with this one and found that the truth is best. It is important to fully understand the disease of alcoholism, first, however, and then write out a script of what you want to say and work on it (really) until you have a short, age-appropriate description about alcoholism as a disease; the kinds of treatment for the disease; how it is easy for family members to adopt coping behaviors and skills to deal with it that are not healthy for them; that it is NOT the child’s fault and that no matter what they do (get good grades, clean the house, stay out of trouble), they will not be able to stop their parent from drinking. They can, however, talk to their parent about their feelings (when the parent is sober) and how the drinking behaviors affect them. But it is critical that it be talked about so that children do not take on the burden of the shame and secrecy that still surrounds this disease.