In the same family there may be a need for Grandparents rights in one or parts of the family but the other parts of the family are going pretty smoothly.
It is not uncommon to have, say in my case 6 grandchildren with 4 sets of parents. Two of those sets of parents are divorced and two are still together. Even though I work very hard at keeping the lines of communications open with each of my 8 children/step children there are many factors involved, ie. age, distance, remarriage, relationship in the family, etc.
You have your own sets of factors so your needs for knowing and/or asserting your Grandparent rights will vary also. Most of you reading this post will already have some deep and disturbing concerns about your relationship to one, some or all of your grandchildren. I think you will find some information that addresses your needs among our some 200 posts on this site. If not just drop us a comment and I will do my best to help.
The reason I have written this post is to remind each of you not to neglect the other relationships while you focus on the troubled ones. I will be so bold as to state that keeping the grandparent relationship healthy and happy is even more difficult than keeping a marriage healthy and happy, or at least as challenging. Much nurture and care is required for a multitude of reasons.
For our purposes here I will keep the focus narrow. The main goal is to create and maintain an atmosphere where we can support the parents in adding the maximum value and loving support to each and every grandchild. No matter the other externals it is our job to find a way to do just that. Not just in the troubled relationships but the healthy ones as well.
I would suggest you write this statement down in BIG BOLD letters and place it on the Fridge. “IT IS ALL ABOUT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.”
My hope for you is Great-Grandparenting. Grandpa NEIL
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I hate how we treat the elderly in our culture... in other places they are cherished for their knowledge, we could be doing that
I think your site is wonderful. Elderly grandparents are the best. But please let me caution you here that a new generation of grandparents are coming on and they are not elderly. The kids today having kids of their own are younger, and in most cases this will make their parents younger. Not all grandparents are about what's in the best interest of their grandchild. I'm watching my daughter in law go through some crazy stuff with her childs father's mother right now that is unbelievable. Who takes a 4yr to a jail against the mothers wishes? That grandmother did..... That grandmother also strips this child looking for bruises every time she gets her alone and if she finds one she takes pictures and not to mention the 9 CPS calls (nothing is ever founded). Her own son is a 7 time felon who is currently locked up...today we go to court because she is suing for Grandparents Rights. Really?? No, not all grandparents should have rights.
Thanks for the compliment and the interest. The whole Grandparents rights keeps getting more complicated by the day. The two most universally helpful things I advise is "The best interest of the child and how much do you want to pay to be right? As you stated there are some scary circumstances but atleast we are trying and in the end it is just the right thing to do. Happy Holidays.
GrandpNeil
I need to know what I need to do to file for visitation rights in Oregon.
Please help me. My grandson as been awarded custody to his absentee father of 4 years. Where as I have been in his life since birth. The father is refusing me any visitation. I'm desperate. Please direct me or connect me at a lawyer. Many thanks. Gina Orlando 314-662-0221.
I am just wondering what rights I have to visit my own grandchild. My son has a 4 year old daughter with his girlfriend/fiancé that he has been living with since the baby was about a couple months old. The mother of the child will not even let my son drive with the baby in the car, and hasn't since she was born, unless the mother of the child is present. Her parents babysit the child, have full access to her, are able to take her anywhere they chose. Because I had issues with how the baby's maternal grandfather treated my son during the labor process and voiced those opinions, the mother got angry with me and doesn't want me around the child. I have not saw her since she was almost 2. Our family is never invited to her birthday, nor is she ever allowed to attend any of our family functions. We always get some lame excuse that she isn't feeling well. She has 3 uncles and an aunt that she doesn't know, and 4 cousins one that is only 5 days younger than her that she doesn't know, not to mention my mother, my husbands mother, my sisters, and other family members that she will never know because her mother made that choice to keep her away from all of my son's family. His biological father (who I divorced when my son was 3) and who did not raise my son (that was done by my current husband) is also allowed to visit my granddaughter when he comes to our state of Louisiana. I have worked around children my whole life. I am currently pursuing a degree in elementary education. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, and we attend church regularly. I just don't understand her willingness to keep this sweet baby away from an entire family nor do I understand my son's willingness to go along with it. I think he's afraid if he makes waves she will kick him out. He pays a lot of the bills there, and even lives in a separate bedroom. She doesn't even let him hang around his own siblings because they may be bad "influences" on him. His older step brother gets to see him on occasion when he goes to their house to visit, but he isn't allowed to bring the baby, because she won't go, nor let him bring the baby alone. I see all my other 4 grandchildren regularly. One actually stays with us every third week because my other son who is divorced moved back home and we help him raise her. We just wish we were all allowed to see this one. Why punish an entire family because she doesn't like me? I had hoped by now things would change but they haven't. My son picks up any gifts we get for her. I'm just at a loss to know what to do. I had hoped it wouldn't come to a court petition, and I don't even know if that's possible.
Please give me advise on how to start a law and work with legistration for Grandparent rights in New York
I am not the typical 50+ year old grandparent.. At the time of my granddaughters' birth, I was 35.. I'm 37 almost now.. I find no support here in the UK for grandparents rights for having contact, and all I ever find on the net is support for over 50+'s etc.. So I set up my own website, my own campaign etc..