When Your Child Worries About Your Drinking

Where to start

• Tell your child briefly: “You’ve probably noticed. It isn’t your fault.”
• Get support for the drinking itself, so your child sees that adults get help.
• Talking to your GP, a peer-support group or a counsellor also shows your child that when adults notice something is wrong, they get help.
• There is a confidential helpline for anyone affected by a parent’s drinking, open to children, adults and concerned others alike. Nacoa (National Association for Children of Alcoholics), 0800 358 3456. Email helpline@nacoa.org.uk. Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. Outside those hours the line is closed. Samaritans answer at any hour on 116 123, and a child or young person can call Childline free on 0800 1111 at any hour. Help is free.

The rest of the tip, and why it works, is in the library.

Source

Nacoa, National Association for Children of Alcoholics, confidential helpline

It goes with

• The Conversations Parents Avoid. For parents who need to tell their child something hard and don’t know how to start.
• When You Are Not All Right. For parents whose own mental health is part of what’s going on at home.

The first chapter you open here is free to read in full.

Free on this subject

• Family stress. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
• Difficult conversations. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.