Help them out, but only to get them going in the right direction. My dad gave me a downpayment for a condo when the rents in LA got out of sight. I paid the mortgage on that condo for about 5 years (for less than the rent on the apartment) at the end of which time I sold it (for $200K more than I paid, seriously). I was able to buy a nice small house in a less expensive State for all cash. Don't give them silly money to blow on stuff, but give them a hand with a smart investment that will save them money now and hopefully pay off for them later.