It's been mentioned on this thread that there are meetings where children aren't allowed, or that meetings aren't an appropriate atmosphere for kids. What is the definition of "children", what age group?
The reason I ask is because I started drinking at 14, and from what I've heard shared in AA that's a pretty common age range for some of us, the early teens. At the meetings I attend we've got a large amount of "young people" under the age of 18, the youngest I've seen was 15.
We also send recovering addicts and alcoholics into our schools to speak to our children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, right?
I'm pretty sure we're referring to very young children here, too young to understand when to be quiet and respectful. But my thought is that some of them could be "alcoholics and addicts in training". I'd rather they were at a meeting to have the opportunity to see how rich our lives have become in recovery.
One other quick thought: I've noticed quite a few adults at our meetings who feel the need to talk during the announcements, readings, and speaker portion of the meeting. It's pretty interesting that some of us aren't mature enough to be respectful towards those who'd like to hear the message.
Sorry, I'll shut up and step down off my soapbox now;-)
