Both are adult topics, topics that children needn't read or try to understand.
Believe me Karen, the children do understand. I knew everyone elses parents were not like mine and I never brought friends home. On garbage day, when the truck would come, our garbage can was full of whiskey bottles and beer cans. A garbage can of beer cans sound so different than regular household garbage and I was ashamed for the garbage men to see me. I played outside a lot because the house smelled of the booze and it stunk to me.

Thing is, I never thought it was my fault, it was just what they did and while it had a impact on my life as a child, the only emotion I ever felt about it was shame. I never felt cheated or mad at them for what they did either. My parent we just my parents and I loved them no matter what they did.

On a lighter side, since we have grown up, us kids have talked about our lives as children of alcoholics and my little brother who never says how he feels about anything made the remark, that while we didn't have the greatest parents or "things" life had to offer, what he has seen as a policeman has made him realize we REALLY had it GOOD! I have also learned that just by seeing people and how some of people live.... if you can call it living. We always felt loved and that is all I cared about.