Drugs got between me and my son.

Before my son came along, I was with different women and partied all the time. I was smoking marijuana and using cocaine once in a blue moon. I held down a good job but I also liked to have a fun and forget my responsibilities.

I knew things would change when I became a father, but I never expected that my partying might put my son in jeopardy.

Our Baby at Risk

Here’s the way I got involved with Children’s Services (ACS): My girl was about to give birth.The doctor asked if she ever got prenatal care. She said,“Yes, at two months.” That’s when she had learned that she had to stop smoking marijuana, but she didn’t completely stop.

I guess the doctor saw something wrong, because when the baby was born, they ran tests on my girl and the baby. They both came out positive for marijuana. Our son was not allowed to be released until a social worker spoke with his mother.

A week later, the social workers told us what we needed to do so that our child would not to be taken away from us: take parenting classes, enter an outpatient drug program for six months and take random drug tests to prove that we were both clean. They told us that social workers would be stopping by to check on the baby.

Our Problem Got Bigger

I was stressed. I told myself, “For six months these people will be on our backs to see if we are doing the right thing.” I thought we could handle it.

But a few weeks ago, we had a setback. I was caught with drugs in my system. I was smoking because I didn’t expect that the next day I would have to give urine.

When the case workers found out I was positive for marijuana and cocaine, our problem got bigger.

The social worker said my child couldn’t live with me. They told my girl to break up with me.

My girl was upset.“We’re together!” she said.We were both angry. How could they separate a family without giving me another chance?

Angry and Stressed

That’s when I asked for a meeting. We had a big meeting with everyone involved in our case. One of the social workers explained that I had started a drug program and parenting classes. I also got a chance to speak and I said I was committed to my family.

Everyone decided that if I am testing negative after three months, and am still attending in the drug program and parenting classes, I can go home again.

Still, I am angry and stressed that I have to live apart from my girl and my son. I’m staying with my father until I can return to my family.

Doing Right

This won’t happen again. I will be taking ACS seriously because this is a serious case. No longer will I use drugs or try to be slick.

Now, it’s no more partying or seeing other women. It’s just my girl, my son and me. I just hope we get through this with no more problems. I am telling myself, “All these programs will help me to slow down in life, to see what’s important and what’s not.”