Being a full-time parent after treatment is not the beginning of the recovery journey. Your child has been through a lot already, just like you. You and your child will need continued support to manage life, at least until you feel comfortable providing that support to them on your own. Substance use damages more than yourself, and mending and repairing those relationships takes time.
Your child may require ongoing supervision long after your recovery. Being a full-time parent after recovery requires a lot of attention. While the aftercare plans may just be the beginning, your recovery includes sacrifice and dedication to everyone who was affected by the previous person you once were. There are various ways of finding support and maintaining yourself as a full-time parent after recovery.
Being a full-time parent requires you to make healthy decisions for yourself and also for your children. You learned to discover new things about each moment, and they’ve seen the progress you made. In the same way, they experience similar progress as you do.
When you were under the influence of substances, parenting was likely delegated to someone else or left entirely unattended. Grasping control of your life, and transitioning into a life where you can manage yourself and be a responsible and accountable parent, is going to take time. There are many ways that you can enforce positive discussions and motivations with your children. You should make sure any continued progress that you’re getting is benefitting them, as well.
If you continue to show your support to your family after treatment, your status as a family member and parent will improve with time. Just remember that it won’t happen overnight. Initially, you started preparing for life as a parent throughout the treatment process and after treatment. However, emotional and physical challenges continue to occur once treatment ends, and this time you’re embarking on the situation yourself.
Your child went through emotional challenges that might have been painful to accept. Make sure your new life reflects the new you. Commitment is particularly important to redeveloping a connection with your child. During these times, remember that you’re not alone in being a full-time parent after treatment. Being a parent takes work and serious levels of dedication.
You are ready to balance a new life of fresh perspectives, as well as maintain your accountability, but it’s important to continue to work on your patience and rely on the process as you were taught during treatment.
Sometimes children need additional space and more monitoring after you get back from treatment because they are not used to the abrupt change. They knew who you were before treatment and may be nervous about the possibility of you returning to your previous habits. However, if you continue with your routine while maintaining your patience and your meditation techniques, being a parent will happen more easily. Remember that this is a challenging time for families, and not everyone regains trust quickly.
Sometimes it takes the right perspective and right approach to see that the person they love has changed. This happens all the time with parents who have undergone treatment, where the child trusts them after they come home.
If this is you, remember that patience is everything. Once your child sees the new perspective of life you’re seeing, they will come around and want to be part of your life. Your children need to develop new trust habits with you, but it’s all about you, your team, your commitment to sobriety, and doing the best you can to mend those relationships. After they’ve been convinced of your motivation, you can see the change in your relationship with them.
Your re-connection with your child can create a whole new connection of life for you and your family. Learning how to approach it correctly is essential for the connection to return quickly and to maintain itself. You need to make sure you have patience, you are there for your child, you are honest, you’re prepared for rejection and hesitation, and you understand they went through a similar process than you did, just in a slightly different way.
Your family has changed their way of life while you underwent treatment; therefore, understanding how to forge the bond or amend the connection will depend more on their schedule than yours. Be patient. Life after recovery is not the easiest path, but the connection between you and your child after recovery will be stronger with consistency and dedication. You can live a longer, healthier, and happier life because you chose your sobriety.
If you or someone you love has difficulties with substance use or being a full-time parent after treatment, NorthStar Transitions is here for you. We understand addiction and substance use at its core, and we want to help you prevent any mishaps that happen with parenting in recovery. Parenting is difficult, especially while in recovery. Challenges may seem to come from everywhere, including your mind. Facing these challenges after treatment requires commitment, attendance, and the right resources. For more information on how you can get reconnected with your family and build a relationship worth having, reach out to us and for advice, treatment options, aftercare plans, relapse prevention ideas, and more. We want to help you be the best parent you can be after recovery, and we are here for you no matter what. Call us today at (303) 558-6400. You don’t have to take the steps of this journey alone.
