My father's last relapse was while he was supposed to be taking care of my youngest daughter one afternoon. She was about 7 at the time, and the afternoon was going fine. My dad had a just under a year sober at the time. He was in the kitchen looking for something under the sink, and found a bottle of gin. He said without even thinking about it, he reached for the bottle, and that was all it took. He spent part of the rest of the afternoon in the garage getting soused, while he was supposed to be watching my daughter. Needless to say, the fallout was ugly and severe. My point in this isn't to defend, but to explain how powerful alcoholism can be, even for someone trying to recover. Now, I have no doubt that my dad loves my kids, (he's been in recovery for five years now, very successfully. Totally changed person) but love is no match for alcoholism. It's not a moral failing. But it is a dangerous and potentially lethal addiction if not treated, and like another poster had mentioned, a hard painful "rock bottom" is usually the only thing that will motivate and alcoholic to change. That bottom is different for everyone. My own was a divorce. For some people it's winding up in jail or losing their kids. For others death is the only thing that ends the cycle. I have an acquaintance who has lost just about everything now, and he still won't embrace recovery. I'm not even sure he's going to make it. My heart goes out to you. It's a hard hard thing to watch the wreckage.