Nickelodeon addresses the pain of living with an alcoholic parent in the Nick News with Linda Ellerbee special "Under the Influence: Kids of Alcoholics," which will premiere tomorrow, Sunday Nov. 14, from 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. In the special, five kids share their heart-wrenching experiences dealing with an alcoholic parent. The program seeks to shed light on a tough situation, citing that 11 million American kids under the age of 18 are dealing with the strain of living with an alcoholic parent.
Seabrook House, an internationally recognized inpatient addictions treatment center, has made a public statement applauding Nickelodeon for its decision to address the pain and trauma of having an alcoholic. Stephanie Loebs, vice president of treatment services at Seabrook House, is also the vice chair of the board for the National Association of Children of Alcoholics. She relates that kids of alcoholics suffer silently and often blame themselves for their parents' behavior. She states that, "One in four children have alcoholic parents, and they are carrying not only the wrong idea but responsibility that is not theirs to bear."
Nick News with Linda Ellerbee often covers tough situations that kids face and presents not just facts and statistics, but also first-hand accounts from kids who are actually in these tough situations. The program really drives home the hard realities and puts a personal face on the issues. Older kids can benefit from watching the program, even if they are not touched in their own lives by these issues, because they are able to see and better understand what others their age are going through. By listening to and understanding the plights of others, kids can learn empathy and gain a desire to help in some way. The programs are also great for helping kids understand and apply the issues in doing school reports or other projects related to real life issues. Hopefully, this episode on alcoholism will touch kids' lives and let them know that, if they do have an alcoholic parent, they are not alone, and it is not their fault.
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