24 Parents Confessed Their Biggest Parenting Regrets

11.

“Drinking alcohol. I spent my entire adult life and my first 12 years as a mom drinking. Beer, wine, seltzers, vodka — I traded my family fun time for a beer buzz. I always believed alcohol would help me feel calmer or happier, or make my situation easier, because that’s what I was always taught. I believed it would help me de-stress and cope with negative feelings and events in my life. But it doesn’t help; it gave me a quick buzz, then made everything worse. It wasn’t until my kids were ages 12, 9, and 5 that I finally realized it’s all a lie! Alcohol was never my friend and never helped me — all those times I turned to it, it made me short-tempered, tired every day, cranky, sick, and just overwhelmingly unhappy. It turned me into the mother I NEVER wanted to be.”

“It hurt my relationship with my kids and husband. When I should have been reaching out for them, I was reaching out for the booze instead. There’s so much I missed because I was drunk. The things I can’t remember hurt just as bad as some of the things I DO remember. All the missed opportunities, the little things I should remember but don’t, how annoyed and irritated I always was with my beautiful babies just trying to connect with me, every special holiday being hungover, how many times I screamed at my kids and made them cry alone because I was drunk, and they were bugging me… All that I wish I could do over. There’s so much regret around alcohol in my life. I’ve been sober for four months, and I’m so glad to be making new memories now to crowd out the old, painful ones. Alcohol stole my parents from me as a child, and then stole me away from my own children, as long as I allowed it to. It’s not worth it for the quick buzz you get off that first few sips. Moms, PLEASE choose your kids over your bottle — they grow so fast, they’ll be gone before you know it. The bottle will NEVER bring you peace, joy, or happiness like being sober and present with your family can.”

—Anonymous, Canada