Alcoholic Neighbor
Kinda weird to be posting on this side of the fence, but you guys are amazing with this type of stuff, so.. here goes.
I've been sober for almost 8 years, I was raised in an alcoholic home (just background because I think it's impacting how I'm reacting to this situation)- so clearly I have my share of experience with addiction and sobriety. I got sober before having my kid, so I don't have parenting/alcoholism experience.
So, my neighbor. If she didn't have kids, I wouldn't feel compelled to reach out really. But she does, and they are tiny (1 and 3). She is a stay at home mom (newly a stay at home mom), and I have never seen her sober. I have also never seen her drink, which speaks to me. Doesn't matter time of day- 9am/ 9pm- every single moment of each day I've seen her, she is a mess. Her husband is around, seems to drink quite a bit too, but more "a few beers after work" type of thing. I have no idea if he's aware or not.. and while the logical side of me screams "how could he not be??", my own husband wasn't aware of the extent of my drinking either, and it was awful.
When the kids are all out in the cul de sac playing, we all sort of stand there and visit, and I honestly just have to walk away from her. She usually completely reeks like alcohol and can rarely put a sentence together. I have a really awful visceral reaction to her, which is totally my own issues cropping up- memories of my mom acting like that..memories of myself probably seeming like that.
But what is there to do? The kids are home with her all day, not old enough for school. I feel like I should know this, I should know exactly what to do, or not do.. but I'm paralyzed by it. What sage words to you have for me?