No one knows a daughter like her mother. And Amy Winehouse’s mom, Janis, is smart enough to already know about her daughter’s tattooed, belligerently drunk obstinacy. But she’s still worried, and has released to a local London paper a passionately concerned letter, begging her daughter to “come home” so that Janis can “wrap her in a warm blanket.” This letter comes after photos surfaced of the six-time Grammy nominee wandering the streets of London in her underwear.
If my mother wants to talk to me, she calls me on the phone or writes me an email. What she doesn’t do is to write a letter to the local city newspaper to beg me to come home. (Although, given, I am less taken to near-naked city wandering than Winehouse seems to be.)
Winehouse’s mother believes her daughter, who has been nominated for six Grammy awards, has struggled to deal with the attention her success has brought her.
“Early fame has overwhelmed you, it’s dizzied you and muddled your mind. For a moment, forget you’re a superstar. You’re also young and vulnerable, no stronger than any of the rest of us.
“You think you’re strong enough to get through this on your own, darling, but you’re not.”
While it is sort of odd that the only way Mrs. Winehouse thinks she can reach Amy is through a newspaper story, in some ways her speaking up is less odd than the reactions of the parents of other “troubled celebrities,” most notedly Britney’s and Lindsay’s moms, both of whom regularly are seen in the company of their intoxicated or otherwise misbehaving daughters and don’t seem to have an opinion about excising those dangerous behaviors from their lives.
Can you imagine what would happen if Mrs. Lohan or Mrs. Spears spoke up to one of their daughters, and said, “Honey, I’m worried. Let’s get you some help.” They might still be in the midst of whatever rebellion is caused by growing up too fast, with too much attention and way too much money, and might respond by pushing parental attention away. But maybe a well-placed word from the one woman in the world who has known them the longest might help.
It is undoubtedly this kind of scenario that Mrs. Winehouse had in mind when she had to take her concern to the media–a hope that concern will lead to her daughter’s salvation.
posted December 11, 2007 at 12:58 pm
God Bless you Amy
posted December 11, 2007 at 5:44 pm
What does her being tatooed have to do with anything?
posted December 12, 2007 at 10:50 am
I hope she appreciates her mother for her unconditional love.My prayers are with them.
posted December 12, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I love you Amy no matter what Like your mother I truly love unconditionally
posted December 12, 2007 at 1:04 pm
My name is Sharon and I am secretary of Families Relate we are a confidential support group for parents of addicts. My own two sons aged 28 and 30 years old are recovering heroin/crack addicts and it is very early days. They have had this problem for over 12 years and during that time I have learned some important and valuable things along the way things I would like to share because I had no one to ask and I had to learn the hard way.
Accept that addiction is no ones fault. Addiction is genectic. Some of us are born with a predisposition for addiction some of us arent. And when I say addiction i don’t just mean alcohol and drugs it could be food, cigarettes, excercising, dieting….the list is endless.
Accept that an addict is an addict whether he/she comes from a rich or poor background. All addicts lie, steal,have deep mood swings,they are above and beyond selfish, they look awful their eyes are souless, they lose respect for themselves and for the people who are dear to them, they lose their friends, posessions and good health. They care about nothing except getting that next fix.
Accept that there is nothing you can do to make a drug addict/alcoholic give up their habit until they are ready. I know just what Amy’s mum means and how she feels when she says she ‘wants Amy home so she can wrap her in a warm blanket’I've wanted to do that so many times.
You must learn to say NO no when you are asked for money. If they say they haven’t got any food, buy them some, if they say they need new clothes take them with you DO NOT give them cash. NEVER buy them anything of value they will sell it. Keep all your treasured posessions in a safe place, because it doesn’t matter how close a family you are the they will steal off of you. I used to do all these things all the time, but by keep giving my boys money I was just helping their habit and delaying their recovery.
Have rules and stick to them. The rule that I have always stuck to is:
DO NOT COME TO MY HOUSE IF YOU HAVE BEEN USING DRUGS/ALCOHOL YOU ARE NOT WELCOME
It’s an important and good rule but you must stick by it.
No one knows what it is like to have an addict in the family until it happens to you. No one knows the guilt, the shame, anger, frustration and helplessness that having a relative with drugs/alcohol problems bring. Family and friends can comiserate but they don’t know how a mum or dad actually feels, our group does know how you feel we live it every day with you, a problem shared is a problem halved please ring me if you or someone you knows has a drug or alcohol problem.
e mail me, sharon.barrett@blueyonder.co.uk.
Hope you have found the above tips helpful and always remember you and other members of your family are entitled to peace in your life.
Regards
Sharon
posted December 12, 2007 at 9:34 pm
I am agreeing with the comment about the tattoos. They have no validity in this story. I know many people covered with tatoos, myself included, whom are strong Christians. Granted, Amy Winehouse is not, but the “tattooed” part made me want to unsubscribe. Sorry.
posted December 13, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Agreed,what do her tattoos have to do with this?! Is it really her tattoos that are driving her to this mayhem? Doubt it! Mine haven’t pushed me that far, yet.And no im not a Christian,nor connected to any specific religion.I do believe in Love and the Universe.I believe that it is STILL very sad that tattoos are looked apon with such distain.It feels a bit like racism,but i’m REALLY hoping that is not the case. It is a tricky thing for writers,writing decriptions,the offense can be taken by anyone.
posted January 23, 2008 at 12:42 am
The LORD Laid It On My Heart To Have Seven Women From Our Church Pray For You Amy….Please At Least Reach Out For SOME KIND OF HELP. These Secular People Are Making Jokes About You Like You Are Hopeless. YOU ARE NOT HOPELESS !And, In Jesus Name, You Are NOT A JOKE ! GOD LOVES YOU, And So Do We ! I Am Praying For You Also ! I Was Once Horribly Addicted To Drugs, AND Alcahol…You Are Powerless To Change Without Help ! In JESUS Name I Pray That The Stronghold Of The Devil Is BROKEN In Your Life !!!! AMEN,And AMEN !!! Signed P. Davis. Feel Free To E-mail Me. PLEASE !!!!
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