| What is it like growing up in a family with not one but | | | | father on the outside demanding to be let in, there |
| two parents that are alcoholics? Very difficult I would | | | | was silence for some time then he came back with |
| answer it makes you grow up far too quickly and | | | | an axe as he began to chop the door down. We |
| mentally you are scared for life at the things that | | | | were all crying and then the chopping stopped and |
| you witness. | | | | my mother yelled out that he was trying to come in |
| As the eldest of 3 children the first memory that I | | | | through the window she began trying to shut the |
| have is of being locked inside my home with my | | | | stuck window screaming for the kids to help her. We |
| younger sister who was only 12 months old at the | | | | were about to do this when dad latched on to her |
| time and we our grandmother come to the door and | | | | wrist with the hedge trimmer, there was blood |
| she was knocking and through a locked window I | | | | everywhere I can remember this clearly like it was |
| was crying as I couldn't open the door and she | | | | yesterday. |
| couldn't come in. I saw her sit on the back steps and | | | | As a mother of children today there was no way |
| she was crying too as you see both of our parents | | | | that I would ever subject them to the physical and |
| were at the local pub. | | | | mental abuse that I was put through. The |
| From there on it was endless drinking sessions after | | | | embarrassment that I felt growing up as I would |
| dinner, yes they did remember to fed us but if they | | | | never invite people around as all the money we had |
| got into the bottle too early it was to shout drunken | | | | would be consumed in alcohol there was nothing left |
| instructions to me to cook the dinner for the kids. | | | | to spend making the house a home and everything |
| The trouble with alcoholics is that they are just | | | | was either run down or had holes punched into the |
| consumed with their own needs and their needs only. | | | | walls. |
| With the drinking sessions that would go on and on | | | | The witnessed effect of alcohol turned me against |
| and we kids would go to bed only to be woken with | | | | drinking for life. I have seen the damage it does to |
| screaming and violence against each other. I would | | | | lives of families and kids first hand. And it is with |
| have the kids in my bed and cuddled them both as | | | | sadness that I see the youth of today stagger |
| they would get upset as well. We dare not go out of | | | | around the streets after coming out from sessions at |
| the room to see what was happening less we got | | | | the pub, they are either sick from the effects of too |
| bashed too. | | | | much alcohol or they become aggressive. I wish that |
| These sessions went on day in day out with one | | | | I could show them what the end of the road looks |
| memory in particular being quiet frightening our | | | | like when you have had years of abuse of the |
| mother was inside and locked the back door with my | | | | demon drink. I can tell you now....it's not pretty. |