The Hidden Threat

The Hidden Threat to Your Children and Grandchildren: What’s Next, by Tom Monson

What if the next drug epidemic claimed your child? What if it took your grandchild?

It’s a terrifying thought, but it’s one every parent and grandparent should face now—because the hidden threat to your children and grandchildren is already here.

Today, it’s fentanyl. Tomorrow, it will be something else. The truth is, drugs will never stop evolving. The hidden threat to your children and grandchildren will only grow stronger, more dangerous, and harder to fight.I know this because I’ve lived it. I’ve lost a child and a grandchild to drugs. It’s a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But I’m not here to share my grief. I’m here to help you avoid it.

The key to protecting your family is prevention. It’s not about waiting until the problem surfaces. It’s about reaching your children and grandchildren before the hidden threat becomes their reality.

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Why the Hidden Threat to Your Children and Grandchildren Matters Now

We often think we have time. We believe we can wait until our kids are older or until the danger feels more “real.” But the truth is, the hidden threat to your children and grandchildren is already here.

Drugs like fentanyl are taking lives at an alarming rate. Just one pill—the wrong pill—can kill. And the danger isn’t just in the streets. It’s in schools, on social media, and even in the hands of friends who don’t fully understand the risks.

As parents and grandparents, we can’t afford to wait. Prevention isn’t just important—it’s urgent. The hidden threat to your children and grandchildren doesn’t give us the luxury of time.

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Why Prevention is the Key

Here’s the hard truth: once someone decides to try drugs, it’s incredibly difficult to change their mind. Their brain starts forming a connection with the substance, and that connection can quickly take over their life.

Think about it. Have you ever tried to convince someone to change their mind after they’ve made a decision? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? That’s because our brains are wired to defend our choices, even when they’re harmful.

This is why prevention is so powerful. If you can reach your children and grandchildren before they’ve made a decision about drugs, your words carry far more weight. You can convince them to never try that first pill, that first joint, that first needle.

This is what my book, Saving Our Children: Five-Minutes a Day to Drug-Free Kids, is all about. It’s not about lectures or scare tactics. It’s about using small, consistent moments to build trust and guide your children away from the hidden threat that could destroy their future.

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The Hidden Threat is Always Changing

The drug epidemic is constantly evolving.

• In the 1980s, it was crack cocaine.
• In the 2000s, it was methamphetamine and heroin.
• A few years ago, it was synthetic drugs like K2-Spice.
• Today, it’s fentanyl, a drug so deadly it’s killing thousands of young people every year.

And tomorrow? There will be something else. The hidden threat to your children and grandchildren is always changing.

This is why prevention is a lifelong effort. It’s not just about fighting today’s crisis—it’s about preparing for whatever comes next. The only way to do that is by raising kids who don’t want to use drugs in the first place.

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How to Protect Your Children and Grandchildren

So, how do you protect your family from the hidden threat? How do you convince your children and grandchildren to stay away from drugs in a world filled with temptation?

It starts with connection.

Take five minutes every day to connect with your child. Ask them how their day was. Listen—really listen—to what they have to say. Let them know they can talk to you about anything, without fear of judgment.

Those small moments build trust. Trust is the foundation of influence.

Once you’ve built that trust, you can start planting seeds. Share real-life stories of people whose lives were destroyed by drugs. Use age-appropriate facts to explain the dangers. Be honest, but don’t rely on scare tactics. Kids see through fear-based messages. What they need is your honesty and your consistency.

Most importantly, lead by example. Show your children and grandchildren what it looks like to handle stress and challenges in healthy ways. Your actions will always speak louder than your words.

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The Pain I Hope You Never Feel

I’m writing this because I know what it’s like to lose a child—and a grandchild—to drugs. The hidden threat to my children and grandchildren became my reality. It’s a pain that never goes away.

But I’m not here to dwell on my loss. I’m here because I don’t want you to feel that pain.

The hidden threat to your children and grandchildren is real. It’s out there, waiting for its chance. But you have the power to stop it. Start today. Take five minutes to connect with your child. Build trust. Plant seeds. Show them they can count on you.

Because the hidden threat to your children and grandchildren doesn’t wait. But neither should we.

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What’s Next?

The drug crisis will never end. There will always be a “next.” But as parents and grandparents, we can face it head-on. We can protect our children and grandchildren from the hidden threat that’s coming for them.

It starts with prevention. It starts with connection. And it starts with you.

Take five minutes today to make a difference. Because those five minutes could save your child’s life—and your grandchild’s future.

Need some help to get started? Get Five Minutes a Day to Drug-Free Kids, today.

Two more great prevention tools are Eric’s Song the graphic novel and Eric’s Song the hardcover book. Based on a true story, it describes the life of a teenage drug addict. It’s designed for children 10 and up to help them understand the consequences of experimenting with drugs.

For more information to help your community become drug-free, go to savingourchildrencampaign.com.

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