The Most Important Person?

‘90 in 90 was impossible for me. People said ‘put yourself first’, but like all mothers I had to put my children first a lot of the time.  The evening meetings were too late.  I couldn’t afford babysitters and anyway was very reluctant to leave my young children with anyone because they had been ill–treated by someone minding them while I was using.

I took them to some ‘child welcome’ meetings and feel decidedly unwelcome.  I was terrified and self–conscious in the early days and when my kids made noise and people turned heads I wanted to run.  It was impossible to share in those meetings.

The second meeting I ever went to was the Friday night women’s meeting with a crèche.  There was a lot of support there.  The meeting started earlier and my kids began to form bonds with the children of other recovering addicts.  I really needed a meeting at the weekend and there was not one crèche meeting in my area on the weekend.  The weekends were tough.’

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