This blog will serve as an on-line resource and parenting guide for parents who are raising adolescents in a world where drug abuse, alcohol abuse and other substance abuse is out of control. Through this blog, I will share parenting tips and red flags of substance abuse that were birthed out of my experience in guiding my son from dependency on drugs into freedom and Coming Clean.
I am not a doctor, a licensed counselor or religious leader. I am a Mom who has experienced life with a teen hooked on drugs and knows the pain and heart ache that substance abuse brings to an entire family. Awareness and being pro-active increases the chance that your daughter and son will stay clean or come clean from the ravages of substance abuse.
I look forward to an exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience with my blog readers in an attempt to help you cope with your teen. ~ Mitzi Rudderow
Dear Mitzi,
I am so happy that you are providing an on-line resource and forum for parents to communicate with you about teen drug issues. Your experience as a mom who has faced the
challenges will be valuable to many others. I hope that you can come to our area and speak with parents and share your knowledge.
congrats on expanding to the blog world! i will be a dedicated follower!
Mitzi,
Although I do not have children, I have many friends who have been through what you have and are going through what you went through. My pleasure to forward your “coming clean” resource to those who may be helped.
I can only imagine with all the prescription drugs, new street drugs compiled with alcohol this problem has exploded in cities across the nation and is taking down our young people. How great that you are willing to share that some will be saved and parents may have the necessary tools to deal head on with this issue.
All the best to you my friend
Mary Jo
Mary Jo,
Thanks so much for your willingness to forwarding my blog. Drugs and alcohol abuse is out of control in our country and there are so many parents who are not aware. I am so thankful to have this blog site to share as many tools as I can to help parents avoid traveling as far down that treacherous road with their teen as I did with mine! Your encouragement means the world to me.
Mitzi
You sound like a Mom who took the line of least resistance. I think you were a coward.
Your comment is welcomed but it begs the question – Are you a parent yourself? And if so, have you ever made a parenting mistake? If every parent that took the easy way out was labeled a coward, then the cowards have definitely outnumbered the heros in this world. I appreciate your candidness and have addressed this issue in my next blog.
Wow, Have you read the book? Talk about Courage…..This mom did everything in her power to help her son. I know Mitzi. This isnt just a book I picked up somewhere. She was there for me the very minute I called for help. She met with me, shared and prayed with and for me. She had/has walked in my shoes. I was going thru a divorce, in the midst of a court battle for my son who was out of control. While I believe my son is making better choices now, she helped me see how naive I was. She gave me courage to deal with and face issues at hand. She helped me truly surrender to God because I was not in control even when I thought I was or wanted to be. This takes a ton of courage. Easy way out, line or path of least resistence ??? Not sure how you can say that…..she went down so many paths FOR her son that would have been much easier to NOT go down. I praise God for allowing me to cross paths with Mitzi Rudderrow. This book will help so many parents out there struggling with such issues.
I am a parent since you asked.
Mitzi,
I came across your blog after doing a WordPress search for substance abuse and was attracted by the story of your struggle with your son. Look forward to hearing more about your personal perspective on prevention.
It is certainly an interesting time for all health issues, the next few years could be really exciting for us. Successful prevention is much more effective then the alternatives.
Kelly
much more cost effective… woops!
Kelly,
I am so glad you found me. I totally agree that prevention is the key and there is no such thing as being too pro-active! I think blogging is the best way to share perspective so I am thrilled that you are on board. I also invite you to visit my website and take a look at my book. In addition to my personal story, the last half of it is a parenting guide that serves as the foundation for many of my blogs. Keep reading and let me hear your thoughts and questions!
I think a lot of times the problems begin at home and the atmosphere the teen lives in. Did your child have a loving atmosphere growing up? Were the parents united? Were the parents permissive?
Over undulgent parents, who pay attention to themselves and not their children, usually result in children with entitlement issues and turn to drugs, sex, etc.
Wow Tom, you just can’t let this rest….Mitzi was far from a mom who didn’t take an interest in her child. Have you even read the book? Geez.
It’s kinda like the OB/GYN that is a male… and says “Oh I know you are uncomfortable……..oh really???? .,they will NEVER know what a mom goes through ever…..pregnancy, childbirth, her radar, her sense of responsiblity….You see, men are real good at compartmentalizing events in your life…..Women don’t/can’t do that….we are on duty at ALL TIMES from the Minute they are ours……………….totally , ALL THE WAY THRU LIFE ! We dont turn it off and on, men do………………..
Really, it is great that you are able to generalize about men and women. I just want people to take responsibility for their actions or lack there of.
then take responsiblity and answer my quesiton? have you read the book? and are you a Christian? and what part of the US do you live in–that might answer alot of this?
What difference does it make where I live, I read part of the book, not all of it. What is your interest in all of this. I am a divorced father and I resent the way you spoke about men. I have cared and nutured my son a lot more than my ex-wife.
Ahhhh, you have begun to share….divorced fathers have or need to change hats sometimes out of necessity….I married one that didnt (wasnt good). Good for you. If you read the Male Factor or Men are from Mars you will understand my compartmentalilze comments. I still stand behind a Male OB/GYN comment though. If you on duty all the time for your son, my hat is off to you! When we have kids, they must be priorities 2nd to our marriages. I think Mitizi totally understands/understood that. We all make mistakes along the way. Best of luck.
It’s really too bad that you and Mitzi are men haters. I am so tired of these diatribes against men
Tom, I truly value you as one of my blog readers and appreciate your perspective as a single parent….but please don’t generalize and put words in my mouth. Nowhere do I even intimate that I am a “man hater.” I don’t “hate” anyone. I have the utmost respect for any man who is raising his children by himself, just as I do for moms who are doing the same thing. You have brought up some interesting points about parenting that I intend to address in future blogs so stay tuned!! In the meantime, I hope you and your son have a Happy Easter.
I have to strongly, strongly disagree with you on one point. Your marriage and your spouse must always come before your children. Read the Bible. So many marriages fail because one of the spouses puts their children first. That is HUGE mistake.
Thank you, but I do firmly believe about putting God first and then your spouse, not your children. That is the cause of too many failed marriages.
Tom , I could not agree with you MORE –that we are totally in agreement. Mitzi and I neither are men haters and I”m sorry you got that impression–in fact we both love men, their company and what they bring to and contribute to a relationship, Appears you have been through some disappointments. I am so sorry. Life isnt’ perfect unfortuantely…? But we keep going especially for our children when we have. Best wishes and may you find peace in your life thru surrender.
Wow, Have you read the book? Talk about Courage…..This mom did everything in her power to help her son. I know Mitzi. This isnt just a book I picked up somewhere. She was there for me the very minute I called for help. She met with me, shared and prayed with and for me. She had/has walked in my shoes. I was going thru a divorce, in the midst of a court battle for my son who was out of control. While I believe my son is making better choices now, she helped me see how naive I was. She gave me courage to deal with and face issues at hand. She helped me truly surrender to God because I was not in control even when I thought I was or wanted to be. This takes a ton of courage. Easy way out, line or path of least resistence ??? Not sure how you can say that…..she went down so many paths FOR her son that would have been much easier to NOT go down. I praise God for allowing me to cross paths with Mitzi Rudderrow. This book will help so many parents out there struggling with such issues.
+1
It was not just “chance” that our paths crossed! I call that a “God thing” and I am so pleased that your son is doing better. Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts about my book and my message as far away as Alaska. This is proof of the fact that teenage substance abuse is in existance all across our globe and I will continue to try and help any parent who will listen…. no matter where they are on this earth! I wish I was in Alaska right now. Texas is rather warm!
Great post thanks!