Welcome to SR and congratulations for deciding that you want a better life for you and your children!
I, too, grew up with an alcholic parent, my adoptive dad, and don't think I ever saw him sober/not hungover til I was in my 20s. For years I vowed I would never be like him, but I got drunk once at 16 and that was all it took. Then it went to marijuana and now I am dealing with an opiate addiction.
I think that when we grow up seeing it, even if it is a very negative experience, a deeper thing is happening--and that is that we are learning that the way to deal with life, stress, pain is to check out using whatever substance works for us. And I also believe that we start absorbing this message at a very, very early age, preverbal. So it's never too soon to quit for yourself and your precious children!
Definitely stay here on SR, especially when you're having cravings. Being here got me through a lot of tough cravings at the beginning. The support here is lifesaving.