November 22, 2010
Grandparents should consider visitation rights as soon as they learn of a divorce, and should begin preparing their case for grandparents visitation immediately. In some cases, extended family members may have a say in how custody is determined, especially if they are seeking custody on a more formal basis. For example, some divorce cases bring to light other issues, such as abuse and neglect, in which case children become wards of the state if no one else steps up to take custody. The visitation rights of grandparents after divorce have been addressed many times by individual states for a variety […]
November 19, 2010
There are a variety of different circumstances in which it may be appropriate for a grandparent to file for grandparents visitation rights. In the instance where a divorce has become quite bitter and a custody battle has erupted, court ordered visitation has been found to give the grandchildren a sense of continuity and stability. This is especially true in the case where the grandparents are the parents of the non-custodial parent. Parents of Non-Custodial Parent Often, the parents of the non-custodial parent recognize that the parent’s time with the children would be limited, and they themselves do not wish to […]
November 14, 2010
As you already know as a Caring Grandparent, caring about and loving your grandchild is the easy part. The hard comes when the rest of the world intervenes. As an advocate for Grandparents Rights I see hundreds of cases where the love of a grandparent for their grandchild is impeded in its tracks by the realities of the world we live in. That’s why today Caring Grandparents must also be active grandparents. I consider my latest book No Greater Loss as a call to action for all Caring Grandparents out there to stand up and say that we will no […]
November 12, 2010
Grandparents concerned with visitation rights should know that there are no firm rules for determining when a court will grant visitation as every case is decided on its own facts and merits. Grandparents can, however, take steps to improve their chances of gaining visitation rights. In deciding visitation cases, courts often consider the previous relationship between the grandparent and grandchild, and they look favorably on evidence of a consistent and caring relationship. For this reason, a grandparent should try to build a meaningful relationship with a child from the outset. If the child’s parent rejects the grandparent’s efforts to visit, […]
November 9, 2010
States generally use one of two standards for determining custody. The courts in many states currently begin any proceedings by looking for the parental preference, meaning that the wishes of the child’s parents will be followed unless there is strongly significant evidence to the court that they should not be respected. The reason for this is that the constitution gives a fit parent the right to determine what is best for the well-being of their child. Generally a grandparent then has the responsibility in overcoming parental preference by proving the parents are (to a great degree) unfit to have custody […]
November 6, 2010
Grandparents Games can be a fun way for you as a grandparent to spend time with your grandchildren whether they are right beside you at the computer of far away from you at home. Here are some of the best sites online sites that feature games grandparents can play with their grandchildren. Grandparents Games to Play with the Grandchildren
November 5, 2010
Caring Grandparents www.caringgrandparents.com No Greater Loss, Neil Taft AARP 601 E Street NW Washington, DC 20049 888-OUR-AARP www.aarp.org Grandparents Rights Organization 1760 S. Telegraph Ste. 300 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 248-646-7177 www.grandparentsrights.org Grandparents Magazine www.grandparentsmagazine.net Grandparents for Children’s Rights www.uwex.edu/ces/gprg/qandas.html Grandparents Resource Center grc4usa.org Grandparents Today grandparentstoday.org Grandparents Raising Grandchildren www.raisingyourgrandchildren.com GRAND magazine www.grandmagazine.com Grandparents United DE, Inc. grandparentsunitedde.org Grandparent’s Web www.cyberparent.com/gran National Adoption Information Clearinghouse 330 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20447 703-352-3488 naic.acf.hhs.gov BOOKS Canfield, Jack & Hansen, Mark Victor. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grand and Great. Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, 2008. Covey, Stephen. The […]
October 31, 2010
The rise in grandparents custody today can be attributed to many things, especially the percentage of marriages that end in divorce. You can add to that parental problems with drugs and alcohol, financial issues, criminal issues, and the premature death of parents. In these tough times many things can cause grandparents to have to take responsibility for their grandchildren. There is a lot of happiness that comes along with raising grandchildren, but there are also many problems that can come about along the way. To get additional help with health care, finances and schooling you need to learn about the laws […]
October 30, 2010
Looking at today’s flawed laws it is not hard to make the case for grandparents rights. By not maintaining adequate laws to protect our children, our legal system has miserably failed them. The antiquated laws governing grandparents rights need to be revised to reflect the times we live in. More and more children’s childhoods will be destroyed, leaving them to become part of the juvenile justice system or suffer at the hands of their parents or unfit guardians. If the laws do not change allowing grandparents legal rights to protect and defend their grandchildren they will just become statistics society […]
October 29, 2010
Although you will find more information about how to select and obtain an attorney in my book No Greater Loss the first question you must ask when considering filing for custody of your grandchildren is what is at stake? Once you decide on the importance of your efforts that should help you decide whether to hire an attorney. Although there are no hard and fast rules about hiring an attorney, the following general rules will likely apply to your case if you have decided to apply for custody of your grandchild: *If your case is going to be contested, that […]