Helping a child whose parent is struggling with addiction

Life Kit

NPR

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Kids & Family, Education, Business

4.3 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2020

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What can you do if you suspect a child is being impacted by a family member's addiction? Experts say you don't need to be an addiction expert, just a caring adult. This episode offers guidance to help a kid through a tumultuous time.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Just a heads up before we begin, some listeners might find descriptions of the content of this episode upsetting.
0:06.0	It includes graphic descriptions of addiction.
0:12.0	This is NPR's life kit.
0:16.0	This is a circle of safety.
0:19.0	We're just sharing and we're listening.
0:24.0	Around 20 children sit around in a circle inside the main camp lodge.
0:29.0	Almost all have a parent who's addicted to opioids.
0:32.0	The lights are dim.
0:34.0	It's one of those moments you know is going to be intense and you should brace yourself even before it happens.
0:40.0	The 8-12-year-olds read their letters to addiction.
0:44.0	Dear Diction, why do adults like you?
0:47.0	When I'm older I will be a kid's too.
0:50.0	You make me not like my mom and dad and it's sad.
0:55.0	You make my dad go to prison.
0:57.0	I hate you.
0:58.0	Dear Diction, you are my worst enemy.
1:01.0	You took my dad from me, my stepdad, my aunt, and bound to be my uncle.
1:05.0	So I just have to ask you a question.
1:08.0	Could you please just go to hell, sign a very sad kid.
1:11.0	I hate you so f***ing dad.
1:13.0	I wish you wasn't real.
1:16.0	You hurt kids so bad.
	...

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