Should I Tell My Daughter I Am Going To Rehab?

Thank you for your question and well done for taking positive action with your addiction.

As I do not know your daughter, I cannot comment on how she would take the news and what her level of understanding might be. I hear what your ex wife is saying about the need for your daughter to respect you as both a father and a role model, but on the other hand, I wonder how your daughter would feel if she found out about this from someone else?

It is possible that this experience could be used as a learning opportunity for your daughter; a chance to educate her about the risks and pitfalls of addiction. It is possible that it could even bring you closer,  but as I say, only you can decide. I think it also depends on whether your daughter is a 'young' nine year old or a more mature nine year old.

I think that it could be helpful to speak to the people supporting you in rehab about this. It would be an opportunity to discuss this in a more in depth way and they may have suggestions and strategies for how you can go about this. You may even find additional support and suggestions from other people on the programme.

I wish you the best of luck for the future.