February 25, 2011
Trying to figure out what grandparents rights actually are is hard enough, but here in the USA we have to grapple with the fact that every state does things a little different. There is no national uniformity on these issues and every year we see state court challenges, some that side with the proponents of grandparents rights and some that do not. Unfortunately, laws regarding things like grandparents visitation rights and grandparents custody issues are not uniform, and much depends […]
February 21, 2011
There are many reasons today why grandparents are raising their grandchildren. It is increasingly common and has accelerated over the last ten years. Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren should take these tips to become successful in their endeavors: First and foremost they have to take good care of themselves, because how can they take care of those kids if they cannot take care of themselves and goes with the saying they cannot give what they do not have. Always […]
February 16, 2011
Over the last two decades the numbers of children being raised by their grandparents has increased dramatically. Reasons for grandparents increasing their roles to become parents include things as diverse as parents being incarcerated, drug and alcohol abuse, divorec and abandonment and mental health issues, among others. Grandparents are keeping families together and serving as a safety net to keep children out of the formal foster care system. However, many grandparents face obstacles not encountered by biological parents, like the […]
February 8, 2011
How important is it for a child to maintain a relationship with their grandparents and great-grandparents? In a word, very. Grandparents and great-grandparents represent the grandchild’s personal connection to the past, the link to their family’s history. They educate and care-give in ways that the grandchild’s parents simply cannot. They have learned the value of patience and they understand fully the value of time. Looking through the elders’ eyes, they want to be with the children of their children and […]
February 7, 2011
A Wichita state senator and family members of abused and displaced children went before the Senate Judiciary Committee today to try to enhance the status of grandparents in child-custody courts. Senate Bill 52 would automatically establish grandparents as interested parties in cases when their grandchildren are removed from their homes. At present, grandparents only receive notice of and status to be heard in such proceedings when they request it. Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, who is sponsoring the bill, told the […]
February 7, 2011
There are two principal situations when the custodial rights of grandparents come into play. One is when the grandparents wants custodial rights over the child’s real or adoptive parents. The other is when the grandparent wants custody over persons who are not the child’s real or adoptive parents, but who presently have custody. With high divorce rates, teen pregnancy issues, drug problems, abandonment, abuse and sometimes the death of a parent or parents, many grandparents feel the need to step […]
February 1, 2011
Grandparent visits can be fun times for children, but they are even more fun when you add games into the mix. Children absolutely love to play games and having family members involved in them is actually one of the joys of youths that almost everyone remembers fondly. In addition to that, making learning fun is essential to your grandkids’ educational development. Boost their verbal skills with entertaining games that engage their minds. Play along and watch them turn into wonderfully […]
January 25, 2011
When it comes to grandparents rights different states have different standards. This is because the 2000 Troxell Supreme Court decision splintered the laws and advocates of fairness in grandparents rights have been trying to catch up ever since. All 50 states currently have some type of “grandparent visitation” statute through which grandparents, and sometimes others (foster parents and stepparents, for example), can ask a court to grant them the legal right to maintain their relationships with loved children. But state laws vary greatly […]
January 20, 2011
Many people have a lot of questions when it comes to grandparents custody and the consideration of grandparents rights who are caring for their grandchildren. Grandparents who are actually caring for their grandchildren should take affirmative steps to protect their rights. This can often be done by obtaining legal guardianship over the grandchildren, or by actually obtaining an order of custody. Absent a formal legal grant of rights, grandparents may find it much more difficult to preserve their relationship with […]