Getting sober for your child, with your child

Mothers have supernatural strength. From working a full-time job while taking care of children, to making incredible personal sacrifices for their kids, we’ve seen mothers prove time and time again that they are the best of the best. We’ve seen mothers who take work home every day so they can pick their children up from school on time. We’ve seen mothers who have accomplished unimaginable feats for their children, whether it’s raising three kids on their own, or going sober after decades of substance dependency.

It’s the slogan about parenthood, after all—you live for your child. Everything you give up, you give up for them. Everything you do, you do for them. Often enough, at New Directions for Women, we hear the same story from women of all backgrounds: “I chose sobriety because of my children.”

And that’s the truth of it. After years and years of fighting addiction, falling over and getting back up, time and time again—sometimes it just takes one glance at your baby to realize this time will be the time that you actually make it all the way through. Because when you look into your children’s eyes, you swell up with pride. And in their big, happy, eyes, you want to know that they are looking up at you and feeling proud of having such a great mom.

You want to make it for them, and they want you to make it through, as well. So do it for your kids. Your bundle of joy is your opportunity to better yourself, and to embrace sobriety.

We’ve seen it in hundreds of mothers at New Directions for Women. Mothers who are shaking, trembling, fighting through withdrawal symptoms. Mothers who have thrown away entire past lives to be reborn for their children. All those troubles melt away when they have their baby in their arms.

Elisha came to New Directions for Women on the brink of losing her entire family to her addiction. Her two sons were taken away from her, and her relationship was struggling. The only thing she could worry about was seeing her baby boy, Isaiah, again. In 2013, New Directions helped Elisha earn custody back of her youngest son. With her baby at her side all the way through the recovery process, Elisha finally broke a 15-year long struggle of substance dependency.

Upon graduating the program, Elisha won custody and was reunited with her oldest son, and returned to her husband as well. Their relationship, in her own words, “has never been stronger and Isaiah has the luxury of having a mom whom he can count on to take care of him when he is sick.”

We always see mothers as superheroes, but they can only be at their strongest when they have their beloved sidekicks beside them. Elisha dug deep to find her strength, and when she did, she made sure to never let go of Isaiah again.

Having your children with you during your journey to recovery is a unique and wonderful gift for mothers suffering with chemical dependency. Some say it takes a village to raise a child, but we believe it takes a child to raise a mother.