I was trained at a young age to associate alcohol with fun, relaxation, etc. Everyone in my family drank heavily. Especially when they got together.
I'm an Oops baby. Oops...we have another. 10 years after the 6th child, along came #7. Me!
My childhood, and booze, comes up in counseling a lot. I was telling my therapist how my Mom would get me "near beer" for social events. That way I could join in with everyone having fun. She asked how old I was when my mother staring grooming me. I was pissed...shocked and saddened!
Then it hit me! I was being conditioned for a life of alcoholism! She didn't mean any harm at all and loved me dearly.
But come on?
So when I finally got calmed down I answered her. I was 7 or 8 years old. And I had a beer in my hand. At the mayor's house(mine)!!
Sometimes it's actually productive when we find out we never had a chance.
I have very serious discussions with my kids about how to use alcohol. Lessons learned!!
That makes me really sad for you, the cards were stacked. I did not grow up around alcohol yet became an alcoholic. So is my brother but he has not found recovery
We are not our past, and we can choose to change our identity at any moment. It may be difficult, but realize that were already different. Look back and see how much you have changed, and know that it’s possible to change even more for the better. Don’t let someone else’s choices affect the way you wanna live especially if you’re trying to better yourself always choose what’s good for you, so then you can help better other people around you. Super proud of you to break the generational curse and teach your children the right way.
Thank you so much for sharing Steven.
I was a full-blown addtic, and Alcoholic at the age of 7 years old and life from there on out, was total heII…
Until I found the rooms of AA and N A they truly plan to seed and help me recover one day at a time.
How much time do you have? 
Thats ridiculous.
Lots of kids grab beers of their own when the adults are drinking. It’s simply fitting in socially. It is very common in European countries for children to drink. I know loads of people who drank with their parents as kids and have no problem whatsoever with alcohol.
I’d find another therapist. In fact I found out it doesn’t matter why we can’t drink like other people. What matters is what we do about it now. Get to a A.A. meeting. That’s where I found a solution to my problem.
My problem was never alcohol or drugs it was me!!!
Have a great day Matt. Keep the faith!
Thanks!
Hang in there Steven.