For 20 years, parents who are recovering from addictions have been asking Claudia Black to write this book. Whether they sobered up last year or 15 years ago, there comes a time when they have questions on what to tell their kids about their past addiction. Dr. Black introduces five very different families and reveals how the parents in each family talked to their kids about recovery, relapse and the child's own vulnerability to drug and alcohol addiction. Discussion tips and easy-to-understand facts are shared in boxed sections to help parents focus in on key issues. Topics addressed include: The basic healing messages that young children need to hear if parents who have recently sobered up are raising them. How to talk to adolescents, teens and grown children about the basic characteristics of addiction, including denial, preoccupation, loss of control, change in tolerance and withdrawal. How to discuss genetic and environmental influences that can contribute to becoming chemically dependent, including the latest brain chemistry research. How parents in early recovery can begin making amends and building sober relationships with their children, whether the children are young or grown. Age-appropriate strategies to reduce a child's risks for experimenting with drugs and alcohol.