If you’ve ever felt completely alone after finding out your child has a gambling problem, you need to hear this conversation. Our President, Kim Freudenberg, joined Adam Lyons and Christina Cook on Evive Live to talk about her family’s story — the confusion, the fear, the gut-wrenching decisions, and the moments where she honestly didn’t know what to do next. Her son Kurt started gambling on video game skins when he was just 11, and Kim and her husband had no idea until years later. She doesn’t sugarcoat any of it, but she also shares the hope — Kurt is nearing two years without a bet, back in school, and doing really well.
Kim also talks about how Parents Standing Together got started. It wasn’t some grand plan. It was a handful of parents falling apart on a Zoom call who just needed somebody to say, “I get it.” That’s it. A text thread turned into weekly meetings, which turned into this organization — because once parents found each other, nobody wanted to let go of that. And that’s really what drives everything we do. We started Parents Standing Together because we know what it feels like to be blindsided by this, and we believe no parent should have to figure it out alone. Our whole mission is to get information and support to families like ours — the kind of help we wish we’d had from the beginning. Whether you just found out something’s going on or you’ve been in the thick of it for a while, give this one a listen. You’ll probably hear yourself in this story.
Parents Standing Together provides peer support only – not therapy, medical care, counseling, or legal advice. No professional services or treatment are offered. For any medical, legal, financial, or mental health concerns, please consult a qualified professional. If you or your child is in crisis, call 988 and seek professional help immediately.