One of the hardest things I ever had to do was abandon my son to protect his child. He and the mother were doing drugs around her when she was a toddler and when social services became involved they told me if I didn't take on custody of her and tell him to leave she would go into care. 5 years on things are good with us apart from the fact my son has now turned to alcohol. The mother is doing better and the other nanny helps me out. The hardest part is keeping everyone happy and making sure she has contact with them all. I am in my 60s and I wonder if there are any others like me who have taken on a child later in life. I would love to hear from you if you have.
It is very commendable what do you have done. Those were the actions of a very courageous mother. The fact that your grandchild's parents did drugs even though they knew they were around their child, it means that they made a very conscious choice, and you were not willing for their choice to affect the future the life of your grandchild. I hope things keep improving and that the family gets back together 100%.
That is a huge thing to take on and your granddaughter is very lucky. Her life would have been very different if she had been placed into care. I am not in that position but I do have a friend who was raised by his grandparents as his parents were alcoholics. They still saw him growing up but it was more of a 'family friends' situation than actual parenting. He has grown up to be a very strong and healthy adult. I'm sure this wouldn't have been possible without the sacrifices his grandparent's made.
Can ou tell more of how you ended up with the child? Was she in social services custod BEFORE you took custody of her? I have a friend in a very similar situation. She is terrified to call the police as she believes social services will take away the child and not let her get custody of the girl, or hold her in a foster home while all the paperwork is filed. Did they just let you take your granddaughter straight from your son's custody to yours?
So sad to hear this but this is all against a law consuming drugs.I had felt the pain of child custody.I can understand the situation very well.This is not the 1st case I had read many posts similar to this read more at http://www.leemeierlaw.com.
I know quite a few grandparents raising their grandchildren due to the parents' drug use and irresponsibility. Your granddaughter is fortunate to have you in her life! I can see why you are seeking support. It must be a struggle keeping everyone involved happy. And taking on child rearing responsibilities at this stage in your life is not easy. Have you looked for a local support group? We have several in our area through hospitals and churches. You could even start your own group. It is very helpful to have the support of those who are in a situation similar to yours.