Al Anon and FASD

I came across this chapter from Al Anon -- the group for people who have a loved one with an addiction. I am amazed at how much it applies to those of us who are parenting a child with FASD. I only have to change one word to make it completely relevent -- the word alcoholism becomes FASD.

In Al-Anon meetings we hear the three Cs describing our powerlessness over [FASD]: we didn’t cause it, can’t cure it, and can’t control it. We begin to learn the basic Al-Anon premise of taking our focus off of the [child] and keeping the focus on ourselves. Hard as it is to look at our own part in our problems, acceptance of Step One brings relief from impossible responsibilities. We were trying to fix a disease – and someone else’s disease at that!

How I wish I would have known from the beginning what I know now... it would have saved so much grief.