Can I Bring My Child to a Sober House?

Sober living houses can be wonderful tools to use when achieving and maintaining abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, it can be hard to picture yourself in one if you are a mother. Where would your children go?

Who can you trust to care for them for such a lengthy period of time? This is even more of a concern if you have an infant or are homeless. In times of great stress, it can be hard enough to care for your children daily without imagining yourself living separately.

It will help you to know that there are more and more sobering housing situations that allow for you to bring a child or a few children with you. These sober living communities generally also have the benefit of teaching parenting techniques and providing expert care for your children.

There are of course rules at the homes and you may not be able to bring your children with you immediately, but even with these restrictions, having the chance to live somewhere free of drugs and alcohol as you work to improve your life and the life of your children is an amazing opportunity and one that you should take advantage of.

Get help finding sober living homes at 800-953-3913 (Who Answers?). You can be connected to resources, have your questions answered, and be directed to sober living housing that will work for you and your individual needs.

What is Sober Housing?

Many sober living homes allow you to bring your children, although not always immediately.

The name makes it pretty clear. Sober houses are residences that are drug and alcohol-free. They are specifically developed for occupancy by people attempting to gain or maintain sobriety. It is important to remember that they do not function as structured treatment centers. The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs notes sober living houses are “important resources for individuals completing residential treatment, attending outpatient programs, leaving incarceration or seeking alternatives to formal treatment.”

You will be responsible for paying fees and rent because most sober living homes are subsidized by this money and not by state or federal funding. However, the fees and rent can often be quite low. In many cases, social security or state aid may prove sufficient to maintain a stay in the sober home.

Residents are generally allowed to stay as long as they wish, if they follow rules and make payments on time. It is likely that you will be urged or required to attend 12 step meetings. Most homes ask that you be active in your involvement and have a sponsor; you should also be prepared to volunteer for service positions.

The residence will be less like a home or an apartment and more like a camp cabin or college dorm. You will share your space and be required to do chores. Often, there are assigned chores as well as daily ones each person is required to do in their own space, like making the bed.

Background

In the early 1990s, substance abuse treatment took a bold new step, it began to create a space for both mothers and children in residential treatment. Although they were not completely prepared for the demands of children, they made great strides. Staff with little experience, research, or clinical skill were asked to focus on pregnancy, relationships, family dynamics, parenting, and child development.

However, the programs persevered and their residents quickly transitioned out of addiction and into a period of greater independence.

As this approach to residential treatment took off, some sober housing also began to include mothers with children, although it is not as common as independent sober housing.

Can My Kids Live in a Sober House with Me?

Sober Housing with Children

There are many programs where the price you pay for your room is all that is required for you to bring your child with you, but there are rules that you will be required to follow. For example:

• You must do all chores assigned.
• You must pay your fees on time.
• You must attend 12 step meetings.
• You must not fight, steal, or break curfew.

Other programs may require that you have achieved a certain number of days sober and that you have a sponsor.

If you think this could work for you, get help today at 800-953-3913 (Who Answers?) for treatment placement.