August 12, 2011
Do grandparents really have the right to visit their grandchildren? In cases where they are denied access to their grandchildren, grandparents may be able to petition the court for grandparents visitation rights, but there are some restrictions on their ability to do so. The biggest obstacle to grandparents petitioning for visitation rights is a 2000 Supreme Court case, Troxel v. Granville, which struck down a Washington state law allowing third parties, like grandparents, to petition the court for visitation over […]
August 8, 2011
Grandparents rights in Wisconsin have been upheld due to a recent court case. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals has clarified that when Wisconsin’s “special grandparent visitation provision” applies, petitioning grandparents need not show a “significant triggering event” occurred in order to seek visitation rights of a nonmarital grandchild. You can see the details of the case here. The case is one of many across the country where grandparents rights are winning small victories or losing small defeats due to the […]
August 6, 2011
Are grandparents rights slipping away from us? Are we losing them? This question comes at me more and more ever since the terrible Supreme Court decision of Troxell over a decade ago, and every time a battle for grandparents rights is lost or delayed in the courts or legislatures around the country. Grandparents rights are not something that are given to us. It is incumbent upon us to be proactive. I don’t mean that we take something from someone as much as […]
August 3, 2011
Are you in a situation where you feel you have lost the visitation rights to your grandchildren? Are you looking for a way to address that issue, legally or informally? The visitation rights of grandparents after divorce have been addressed many times by individual states for a variety of reasons. For one thing, advocates argue that grandparents provide a constant supply of support for children whose lives are otherwise disrupted by divorce. Advocates also argue that vindictive custodial parents may […]
July 31, 2011
As with all major life changes, adoption is both a wonderful and challenging experience filled with excitement, adjustment and joy. This is no less true for grandparents, as they watch their own beloved children dealing with all the emotions that come with adopting a child. Here are some tips to consider if you are becoming a grandparent through adoption: Be a partner in parenting, taking your cues from the parent and respecting that the parent is in charge. While you […]
July 28, 2011
Courts grant grandparents visitation or grandparents custody to grandparents only when certain conditions provided in state statutes are met. Conditions for a grandparent to attain custody differ from those conditions required for visitation rights. A grandparent should be familiar with the conditions for either custody or visitation before determining whether to file a petition to request either from a court of law. Best Interests of the Child Courts in every jurisdiction must consider the “best interest of the child” when […]
July 23, 2011
In many families grandparents visitation is easy and frequent. Grandparents usually have a special relationship with their grandchildren. However, in some cases, grandparents have to do far more than be caring, loving grandparents. When parents have problems that prevent them from taking care of their kids, grandparents are usually the first relatives a parent will turn to in their time of need. What happens to the grandparents’ relationship with a child when a parent suddenly returns after a few years, […]
July 21, 2011
Looking for ton of ideas on grandparents games? Playing games with your grandchildren is a great idea for bonding and a way to spend quality time with them. Below are a few ideas for games you can play with your grandchildren at parties or get-togethers. You can also use the following links to get to more grandparents games that your grandchildren will enjoy: Games for Grandparents and Grandchildren to Play Grandparents Games Grandparents Games to Play with Grandchildren Here are […]
July 18, 2011
Overprotective parents, hand over the car keys: A new study finds that kids may be safer when their grandparents drive than when mom and dad are behind the wheel. That’s the surprising conclusion of research published today in the journal Pediatrics, which found that children involved in car crashes with grandparent drivers had half the risk of being injured. Check out the study news here: Grandparent drivers keep kids safer