When your kids are struggling with an addiction, it can be overwhelming and can upend the entire family. Learn some practical tips that can help your family to navigate through this.
Talking Points:
- The hardest thing as a parent is realizing that you can’t make your child better. You can’t force them into sobriety. They have to want it for themselves and that can be a painful waiting game.
- Parents need to guard against shaming the addict by saying things like, “Can’t you just stop?!” or “Can’t you see that you’re tearing our family apart?!” The truth is, the addict already feels shame for their choices and the piling on by parents isn’t helpful. Colossians 3:12
- One of the important boundaries Teri drew was that the kids weren’t allowed to use in the home. Seek professional help to discover the boundaries that will work best for your situation. Philippians 4:6-7
- Make sure to pay attention to the other family members. You can’t stop building into your marriage or stop investing in the kids who aren’t struggling.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Share your experience with addiction. What has proven to be the most challenging part so far? What kind of support do you have in place?
- Have you spent time beating yourself up over your child’s addiction? Explain. Why is it important for you to acknowledge that you can’t control the actions of another?
- In your opinion, why is shaming a common response to addiction? Why is it unhelpful?
- How has addiction negatively affected your family? What have you done thus far to rectify those things? What more do you need to do?
- Read Philippians 4:6-7. What does this passage tell you to do? What does it tell you not to do? How do these verses both help and challenge you?
- Read Colossians 3:12. What are some of the tender mercies or miracles you’ve received from the Lord?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
