The Recovery of Our Children an AFG talkThe Recovery of Our Children an AFG talk
Recovery Radio Network
speakingin 1986
36:49•5 Mar 2020
The Recovery of Our Children: Marion G. on Parenting Through Sobriety
Episode Overview
- Children experience their own recovery process and need time and support to heal from life in an alcoholic household.
- Honest, age‑appropriate conversations about alcoholism and recovery help reduce confusion, guilt and self-blame in children.
- Both parents are urged to resume clear, consistent parenting and include children in family counselling and educational programmes.
- Explaining that AA meetings are a vital priority can help children understand why the newly sober parent may still be absent at times.
- Some children, especially those exposed from a young age or to abuse and violence, may need more intensive psychotherapy to address deeper wounds.
“Children need to understand that they do not cause the drinking or drugging and they can't cure it either.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This Recovery Radio Network talk from 1986 brings Marion G. to the microphone to focus on a subject many parents quietly worry about: “our recovery and our children.” Aimed at recovering alcoholics, Al‑Anon/Al‑Anon Family Group (AFG) members, and anyone raising kids in the shadow of addiction, the talk lays out what early sobriety can look like from a child’s point of view.
Marion explains that while a newly sober parent may feel hopeful, a child might be thinking, “Daddy or Mommy really is going to stop getting drunk now and everything will be alright,” only to feel confused and let down when life doesn’t instantly match that dream.
You’ll hear about younger children who blame themselves for the chaos at home, and older ones who quietly take on adult roles, becoming the “caretaker of everyone else” while hiding their own fear and exhaustion. Marion shares vivid case stories: the over-responsible nine‑year‑old who carries a town map because his mum often forgets to pick him up, or the “unmanageable” boy who acts out aggressively after years of living with violent, drinking parents.
The heart of the talk is practical guidance. Marion stresses “honest communication with the children,” including them in family counselling, and explaining alcoholism as a disease so they can stop believing they cause or can cure a parent’s drinking. She highlights the importance of AA and Al‑Anon/Alateen, even if it means explaining why meetings sometimes come before birthdays and ballgames.
This is a gentle but direct session for anyone in recovery who wonders how to rebuild trust with their kids, and for supporters who want to understand what those children might be carrying. If you’re working on sobriety and parenting at the same time, could these stories help you start a different kind of conversation at home?
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