How Grandparents Can Help Keep Grandkids Off Drugs

As grandparents, we want to help our grandkids make all the right decisions in life. You may sometimes feel like you are powerless to do so for a variety of reasons, but there are still positive effects that you can have on these younger relations. 

​Stay Close, Regardless of Distance

You might feel like you are too far away from your grandkids, either with a large location gap or with the distance between your generations. These shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to making a connection though, as you can still relate to your grandkids on a personal level. At the end of the day, you are their family and they can turn to you when they need to.

​As a grandparent, you can bridge the gap between parents and their kids, as they can see their parents as stricter and more reactive to these kinds of things. As someone slightly removed from the situation, you can provide balance and show kids that their parents have a side too. There’s nothing better than a listening ear after an argument, you can even offer them a place to stay to cool off.

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Create a Non-Judgmental Relationship

If you cultivate a good relationship with your grandchild, then you will naturally be someone that they can turn to. Because you’re not the authority figure that they are around most often, in most cases, you can shed light on situations and be a person that they can turn to. When it comes to a drug addiction, having that support there can prevent a lifetime of problems. 

​Provide Information and Advice

It’s not just hard drugs that you can help your grandkids with, you can provide information about stimulant abuse and the effect this can have on their health. Stimulant addiction treatment is becoming more popular because of grandparents, parents and even kids themselves realizing their dependence on things like caffeine and alcohol. If you think they have a serious problem, then you can always pass over details of an addiction treatment center that they could look into.

Identifying these kinds of problems is half the battle, especially if the grandchild is having a difficult time at home. They could be in serious need of time in an addiction treatment center but just not know who to reach out to. This is not the situation that you want them to be in, as it’s a slippery slope towards drug abuse.

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​Step into Family Life When Needed

It has been shown in numerous studies that those who have close relations that they can turn to will be statistically less likely to fall prey to abusing substances. Family counseling can even help to address the root of these problems and figure out why they are occurring in the first place. You can advise your children and in laws about any potential problems and give them advice that comes from an impartial place. They can spend so long attempting to police the behavior of their child that they may not realize their own failings. 

The main job of a grandparent is to listen, no matter what the scenario. If you create a safe space for your grandkids to discuss everything that they have going on. Don’t judge or make them feel like they don’t want to come back to you for more advice. In many cases, you don’t even need to give advice if it is unwanted, you can just provide an outlet for any frustrations and a place to talk.

We’re facing an epidemic when it comes to battling drug addiction, anything you can do to help your grandkids is a positive step. Just be there for them and you’ll be ready to help when needed.
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Retired Brains does not offer drug rehabilitation programs, or substance abuse counseling. Rather, we strive to provide you with educative information that can add value to your life, as well as the lives of your loved ones. if you or a loved one is experiencing substance abuse issues, we recommend consulting a professional for help immediately. 

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