That was the shocking testimony of a child contained in a new report which has estimated that over 1,300 Borders children of school age and younger are living with parents who regularly or habitually misuse drugs or alcohol.
Of these, 859 have been identified from the various caseloads of agencies (health visitors, social work, child health etc) working with these client groups, but specific support for the children is often non-existent.
And although 38 of these youngsters are on the Child Protection Register, countless others are experiencing emotional and health problems as they suffer in silence.
While the report, entitled "Children Affected by Substance Misuse in the Family" and compiled by the Borders Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), concedes the impossibility of quantifying exactly the number of youngsters affected, it contains shock details of the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse in the region.
Latest information indicates 1,000 people consulted their GPs with alcohol problems and there were 19 alcohol-related deaths in 2001/02. In the same year, there were 615 discharges from the Borders General Hospital with alcohol related conditions — up 25% on 1997/98.
A study in 2001 suggested a total of 585 drug users in the Borders, comprising 106 who had contact with treatment services, and 479 "hidden" users who were known to police and social workers.