If you’re a grandparent and your child is going through a divorce, you may have some concerns about the child custody situation of your grandchildren. Grandparent’s worries range from wondering how much they’ll get to see their grandchildren after the divorce or trying to decide if they should step in and try to get custody. Here is some general information about grandparent’s child custody and visitation rights.
1. If your child is going through a divorce and trying to resolve the custody situation, you can help by being supportive. Grandparents can play a big part in providing emotional and other support to their children and grandchildren at this time. They can listen to their child and offer to help take care of the grandchildren. Grandparents can also help explain things to the grandchildren and show them love and understanding during this difficult time.
2. If you are worried that neither parent is capable of providing good care for the children, you should think about becoming a legal guardian for the children or seeking custody of the kids. A legal guardian has legal responsibility for the children and can make decisions for them. This is usually a good thing for grandparents because the parents don’t have to give up their rights, but the grandparents can step in and help. Grandparents can also get custody of the grandchildren if they can prove to the court that it is in the children’s best interest to live with them.
3. Grandparents can try to maintain friendly relations with both parents. This needs to be done with care, but grandparents can offer help to both parents with regard to the grandchildren. At least, the grandparents can let the other parent know that they still want to be involved in the grandchildren’s lives and come to extra-curricular or special events. This very much depends on the parents of the children and how each one will respond.
4. A grandma and grandpa will still be able to see their grandchildren anytime their child has them in the child custody schedule. So, they shouldn’t worry too much about never seeing the grandchildren–they will still have opportunities.