Originally Posted by
Delilah1 
I don't feel I have shared secrets, but have shared how I am feeling emotionally in the moment on this site. For me the biggest help has been the January class, we all keep each other posted on how we are doing day by day, the good and the bad. I have several close friends, and my husband that I can share the same things with, except of course when it is my husband that is driving me crazy! My kids are 8,11&12, and I have had a conversation with my 12 year old who will be 13 in a few months about alcohol and drugs. She has noticed I have stopped drinking, and I let her know that I did so to be healthy, and also shared that it is one of those things that can be hard to stop doing once you start. She has no interest right now, and I hope it stays that way.
Your kids are close to my kids ages--also 8 and just turned 13 year old twins. I was open with them when I started to go to AA meetings last week. They seemed a little surprised (they said Mom, you don't drink that much, but that's just of course because I'm secretive and maybe they couldn't put a name to it yet) but I just told them it was something I was doing to get healthier. I will definitely be open as they get older. They seem uninterested now but I know how rapidly that can change in the teen years. One of my twins is anxious like me and my 8 year old son likes to be the class clown jokester and also cares a lot about fitting in. So I definitely plan to remain as open as is appropriate with them.