Your behaviour affects your children. Whether your answer to a problem or a crisis is to have a drink or take some drugs, thing can progress to the stage that you are not taking proper care of your children or protecting them. Their safety could be at risk.
Think about the way you act and what it says. If you or someone at home smokes, drinks alcohol or takes drugs remember children learn from what they see and may begin to think that smoking, alcohol or drugs are a solution to problems. Often people start using drugs to relieve stress or tension. No matter how careful you think you are, children are often very aware of their parents' behaviour. Both alcohol and drugs can affect your ability to look after your children and have serious effects on them as they grow up. They could also find drugs and try them - leading to serious problems. Make sure you keep alcoholic drinks out of reach.
It is important that you talk to your partner or other family members who could offer support to you and your children. Children may not want to talk about it because of the shame around alcohol or drugs or fear about what could happen. There is support available for children who live in households where drugs and alcohol are a problem.
Stop smoking with One Life Suffolk
MindEd for Families: online advice and support you can trust
Is your child in crisis? Are you worried about them? Perhaps you just want some parenting tips. MindEd for Families is a website that aims to help you understand and support your child.
MindEd for Families was built by parents and the MindEd Consortium of professionals, funded by the Department of Education, in partnership with Health Education England. It is accredited by the NHS Information Standard.
If you think you or another adult at home has a problem seek advice and support.
Your habit could be affecting the following:
Relationships- has someone spoken to you about their concerns about your drinking or drug use?
Your commitments - have you failed to do what is expected of you because of your drinking/drug use?
Your health - are you having difficulty sleeping, feeling unwell or needing to use something to make you feel better?
You have come into conflict with the law - have you been drinking and driving or arrested for possessing drugs?
These are all signs that you should seek help. All of these things will affect your ability to look after your children, keep them safe and help them develop into adulthood.
For more advice, visit: www.healthysuffolk.org.uk
www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/healthy-you/substance-misuse/young-people-s-drug-treatment/
www.minded.org.uk/families can offer advice to parents if your child is becoming dependent on drugs, alcohol or other substances.