Welcome Time2Change. Glad that you are reaching out for help. "tapering" does exist, but it's usually not very effective. For one thing, it is a form of control of your drinking - and by definition, we cannot control our drinking as alcoholics. The second issue is that even with tapering, you can experience withdrawal symptoms, even without quitting completely.
Your best bet is to see a doctor - especially if you feel there could be severe withdrawal symptoms. Tapering won't prevent those from happening, and especially if you are going to be alone with young children you need to seek outside assistance.