Susan's story

A mother's journey

My name is Susan. I am a client at Child Development Institute attending the Family Re-Connection Centre.  I am a mother of three wonderful children aged 7, 3 and 1. And I am also a recovering drug addict.

My journey started 5 ½ years ago.  It was Thanksgiving weekend.  There was a knock at the door.  A lady from the Children’s Aid Society accompanied by a police officer had come to take my 2 ½ year old son.  I was handed some papers, given some phone numbers and I waved goodbye to my son.  In the blink of an eye my life was forever changed. 

The next few months were a blur.  I continued to use drugs because I had nothing left.  I was full of denial, then anger then guilt and finally sadness.  I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that only I could change things.

I started the process of recovery from drug addiction.  I attended a 21 day residential treatment facility.  After graduating I lived at a transitional home. I attended NA and CA. I visited with my son for 2 hours twice a week.  I started one-on- one counselling. I attended parenting groups but felt alienated by the “normal” people there.  I was missing a vital component.  I needed to find out how to become a better parent while addressing my substance abuse issues.

Then a friend told me about the Family Re-Connection Centre.

The FRC program is addresses substance abuse and parenting from all angles. The FRC program brought to the forefront the impact and the fallout that children of addicted parents experience and effective ways to deal with it. I had found what I had been missing: a group of woman who understood what I was going through because they had been there or where going through a similar situation. But best of all nobody judged me.

I was reunited with my son just over a year after he was removed.  Now I had to work on our relationship, so together we attended the FRC.  But he was clingy and nervous.  He was afraid that I would not come back or worse, be in a drug induced trance.  

In the FRC program I was earning back my son’s trust.  I found out that children work best when they know what to expect.  I rarely followed through or I was late most of the time when I was under the influence of drugs. Now I worked on setting a routine.  I followed through with plans and promises.  I took the time to listen to what my little boy had to say.  For the first time I was beginning to really “see” him.  And I think he was beginning to see the real me.

I am now a parent mentor at FRC.  I reassure new group members that hurdles can be overcome and goals can be achieved.  I also volunteer on the parent association at Child Development Institute.  I help with fundraising, decorating and set up at events such as the spring fair and the annual holiday party. 

I have remained clean for over 6 years and counting.  I have also graduated from high school and completed the personal support worker certificate program.  My next goal is to become a nurse.  But my greatest achievement has been becoming a better role model and parent for my children.  The tools I’ve learned at Child Development Institute have helped me build a better life – for myself and for my family.