So I realized today is April 11th and I haven't written in nearly two weeks! Been crazy busy with life. I deal well with stress, but sometimes the fact that I've got at least 100 people puling me in every direction takes its toll.
But I've learned to control what I pay attention to, prioritizing who needs what and where the greatest need lies. My kids are always the first priority and everyone needs to learn to take a backseat to them. Recovery from having an alcoholic in the family takes a lot of patience and reinforcement with kids, no matter how old they seem to be. They constantly blame themselves for the drinking, bad behavior, and narcissism an alcoholic indulges in.
Going to Alateen meetings was a huge step for my kids. My son is very outgoing and has an outwardly strong personality. But in reality, he's got the same nerves and lack of confidence my seemingly shy and quiet daughter has, when discussing personal and private issues such as having an alcoholic in the family.
The 12 steps of Alateen are the same 12 steps as Al-Anon:
These 12 steps help us focus on getting better and coping with an alcoholic in the family. There is no hopelessness, but rather if you keep moving forward one day at a time, things will get better. Not blaming anyone, including the alcoholic, is a key issue, and one that is hard to do. Children are resilient, but they tend to blame themselves in situations like ours. My job is to make sure my kids are getting the best help they can.
One of the many slogans of Alateen/Al-Anon is HOPE.
That says it all.
Spread your wings!
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