bookreader

My AS was picked up 12 days ago on charges that were - rightly - dropped. But, he is on parole and his PO decided to keep him in for this length of time 12 days. He was on maintenance methadone. So, he detoxed while in jail. And I am sure it was horrible, I have been with him through withdrawals. But I was thinking, good, thank god, go through withdrawal there where I can't help you, see you, comfort you, hear about it,
you are on your own.
He has been in more than one rehab facility that he has walked away from - can't walk away from jail.
Not sure where he is going from here - but, the methadone stopped his stealing behaviors -
so putting safeguards back in place -
is that a stickie? we should have a stickey about what you should do if you even suspect your kid might be an addict. My friend thinks her kid might be going down this path and I told her some practical things:
do not let your kid know your PIN number for your debit card; if knows change it now.
hide your checkbook
any precious jewelry - whether costly or sentimental - move it now, hide
change the locks on your doors; do not let the A in your house when you are not there,
make sure any siblings know to take the same precautions
make sure friends of your A know that they should not lend money and that you support them. this is important, the A will turn to their life long friends for sympathy - give these friends support. I have found this is really important - their life long friends (not current vulture friends) need to hear from us parents that they should say no to their friend/our kid

And as I have said before - I never thought I would have to do it, but, if you are forced to go down this path, you will sleep with your purse under your pillow.
well, this post rambled. I just added the 'and more' to the title.
b.

Ann

It's a lesson most of us learned by experience. And most of us, like me, thought "not MY son, he would never steal from us or harm us" until we found out addiction was stronger than family ties and respect.

I hope your son chooses to stay on a better path when he gets out of jail.

Hugs from another mama who no longer sleeps with her purse under her pillow.

Kindeyes

Unfortunately the best learning tool is experience. Most people have that thought process that Ann referred to....."not MY (fill in the blank with the relationship, son, husband, daughter, friend, etc).

Even with experience we can sometimes be very slow learners........(I say as I look at myself in the mirror...lol).

gentle hugs
ke