2 Ways to Get Visitation with Your Grandchildren
Posted on: 12 February 2019
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When a family is broken up, whether due to divorce or one of the parents dying, it can not only cause problems for the immediate family, but it can also have long-lasting repercussions for the extended family. For example, in the case of divorce, one set of grandparents may not be able to get to visit with the children anymore. If that happens, grandparents do have options. One of them is to talk to a lawyer to see if they have any rights in the state. Not all states recognize grandparents' rights, so you will definitely need help to see what you can do. So, what are some things you can do?
Talk to Parent(s)
If your child got divorced and you still want to maintain visitation with your grandchildren, the first thing you should do is talk to your child and their former spouse. Speak to them separately so that you aren't putting pressure on them or forcing them to interact if they don't have the best relationship. Make sure that you stay calm and don't blame anyone for anything. You are much more likely to get visitation with your grandchildren if you are able to show that the issues that went into the divorce have nothing to do with you and you just want to keep in touch with your grandchildren. You also want to make sure that you aren't demanding anything, but asking nicely. If either parent puts boundaries on your visits, make sure to respect the boundaries even if you don't like them, because it is a place to start, and as you show that you can be trusted, those boundaries may loosen.
Sue for Visitation
If talking to the parent(s) doesn't work, then you have the option of going to court and suing for visitation. Before you do this, make sure that you put a lot of thought into it, because you might end up totally burning bridges and making a difficult situation even harder on everyone. Then you are going to want to go to a lawyer who specializes in family law and see if they have any experience with grandparents' rights, so you know that you are going to get the best possible advice.
If you have grandchildren that you aren't able to see because of a death in the family or a divorce, there are things that you can do that may be able to help you get visitation with your grandchildren. Contact a grandparents' rights law service for more assistance.