mallow, I have to agree that it's one of the saddest things to see a parent (whether it be mother or father) put their children through the pain, turmoil, etc that these children go through.
I believe that as a society, we have a harder time with the irresponsible mother than we do the father. But I know that the pain even an addict father can cause a child is just as painful for the child.
I know too that my children have been affected by the affects of my xAH's drinking. I know that my role in the "dance" has affected them too, just as my everlasting reach towards recovery affects them as well. We, as parents, affect our children. We just don't always know the feelings that parents cause their children until much much later.
Alcoholism will unfortunately continue to hurt the innocent children - but mallow, it's people like you that use the opportunities in which to ease just a bit of that pain, even if it's just temporarily. For those times, I'm sure those kids are forever grateful.