"Mama, is Daddy angry with me?"

Jason asked.

"No. He's not angry with you Jason, he is just angry with everything and he doesn't understand why." Mama said.

"But he shouts at me all the time."

"I know," Mama said, "and you shout back at him. I need to ask you to try not to do that. Rather go to your room and play."

"But that's not fair." Jason said, feeling very cross.

"Jason, your Daddy is not well. He has an illness called alcoholism and it makes him feel so confused that he doesn't know he is sick. This makes him frightened and angry. He thinks a drink will help him feel better and sometimes it does. But only for a little while. Then it makes him feel even more confused and cross." Mama said.

"That's just silly," Jason said. "How can he not know when he is sick? And why does it make him angry?"

Mama sighed. This illness is so hard to explain. She felt very sad for Jason and thought quietly for a while.

"If I have 10 chocolate cookies and I give you 1, will that make you happy?" Mama said.

"Very," Jason said, licking his lips, "yummy."

"And if you know I still have 9 more, would you like to have another one?" Mama asked.

"Yes please," Jason said "and another and another, until they are all finished. I love chocolate cookies."

"When your Daddy has a glass of beer or wine that is exactly how he feels. He immediately wants to have another one." Mama said.

"But you wont let me eat all the chocolate cookies," Jason said. "It's not fair that Daddy is allowed to have more drinks."

"You are right Jason. You and I know that the sugar in cookies is bad for you, so I help you stop eating them."

"But Daddy is a grown man. I can't stop him from drinking more that he should. The alcohol makes him feel restless and unhappy but he doesn't know that. His body has a bad reaction to alcohol. Just likes yours has a bad reaction too much sugar."

"Too much sugar makes my legs feel like they want to run away from me, even when I'm tired," Jason said. "I hate that feeling."

"That is how Daddy feels. The difference is that you know how bad sugar makes you feel. Daddy can't seem to understand that about his drinks. That is why I say he is sick."

"Can a Doctor make him better?" Jason asked. Mama shook her head.

"No. Only Daddy can decide he is sick and look for help from a group of people who have the same illness. All we can do is hope he realises that one day." Mama said.