Originally Posted by Sugah

Your oldest, and even your middle one will learn a lot from how you handle this problem.

My kids went through hell with my addiction, though my daughter, who's now 16, insists she doesn't have nightmare memories from her first nine years. My son (now 19) remembers a little more, as do my stepsons, who didn't witness my addiction but my husband's (we were married when we were both a little more than 2 1/2 years sober and didn't know each other in active addiction).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that as much as I wish I hadn't put my kids through my addiction, my recovery has been very good for them. They see personal responsibility -- I can't help it that I'm an addict, but I can make the decision to recover from this. So...you might want to keep in mind that your oldest (especially) will be watching you to see how you take personal responsibility and, while we might wish they didn't have "us" to deal with, it can be a very positive experience that serves them for a long time to come.

Peace & Love,
Sugah