Children of Alcoholics – a national celebration, February 10 – 16, 2013, and an international celebration the same week. 
Why a national and international celebration? To raise awareness about what happens to the silent victims of a parent’s chronic, often relapsing brain disease – alcoholism - one of the ACEs that can so drastically alter a child's life.
Before I continue, let me first say – the purpose of this post is NOT to blame or shame parents who are alcoholics because they – and most of those not familiar with this brain disease – do not understand they have a brain disease. They do not understand that the nature of their disease makes it impossible for them to drink any amount and not exhibit the drinking behaviors that can change a child’s life.
Rather, the purpose of this post is to draw attention to what happens to the one in four children under age 18 who live with a family member who abuses or is addicted to alcohol. The purpose of this post is to help all of us better understand what we can and must do to help children of alcoholics (see suggestions below). This is so important because growing up in a home with undiagnosed, untreated, unhealthily discussed alcohol abuse or alcoholism can change the way a child’s brain develops and these developmental changes can make that child more susceptible to developing a substance abuse problem, mental illness or stress-related ailment themselves.
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