Spending time with your grandchildren may be the highlight of your week. Whether you watch them on Saturday night so your child can go out for a date with their spouse or you attend all of their basketball games, seeing your grandchildren can brighten your life.
Your relationship is also beneficial to your grandchildren, which is something that the parents might forget when they break up or divorce. Often, that valuable relationship between grandparent and grandchild is collateral damage in a messy divorce. If a parent with sole custody decides to refuse visitation from their ex’s entire family, the children could wind up isolated from many relatives, including their grandparents.
Do you have any rights as a grandparent who loves their grandchildren in Texas?
You may be able to ask for visitation
Child custody and visitation matters are important to others beyond just the parents of the children. State late reflects the various relationships that help support children as they grow. Texas does allow grandparents certain rights in specific situations to help preserve their connection with their grandchildren.
In situations including divorces and when parents lose their parental rights or die, grandparents can potentially ask the family court to award them visitation. As long as you can demonstrate that having time with you would be in the best interest of the children, a Texas family law judge may grant you the right to visitation even if the custodial parent opposes it. In extreme cases, grandparents can also seek custody of the children for their safety and well-being.
Asserting your rights as a grandparent isn’t always easy. However, it can benefit you and your grandchildren in the long run.