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Grandparent rights essays

Grandparent rights essays The California Supreme Court ruled in favor of grandparents visitation rights in a recent case involving a 9 year old girl Emily, whose mother, Butler, and Father, Charles Harris, separated before she was born and the custodial mother restricted the grandparent visitation rights. The court ruled that grandparents may be allowed visits with grandchild over a custodial parents objection provided there is a positive proof that such visitations will render no harm to the child. Is this an appropriate judgment Should grandparents visitation be granted Certainly, Yes. This ruling will have a positive effect on the life of both, grandchild and grandparent. Although the custodial parents have the fundamental right and responsibility of raising their child, grandparents rights must be granted as grandparents play a beneficial role in the life of their grandchild and have forged a bond with their grandchild. Grandparents are the first one to step forward in absence of parents. When parents are busy grandparents are primary caregivers or babysitters. Due to the growth of teen pregnancy, abuse among parents, divorce, and child abuse and neglect, an increasing number of children are living with their grandparents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1970, 2.2 million or 3.2 percent of American children under 18 lived with their grandparents. By 1997, this number had risen to 3.9 million or 5.5 percent. This figure shows a 76 percent increase over the 27 year period(Lugaila forthcoming) and proves that grandparents are considerate about their grandchildrens welfare. Therefore, in circumstances where parents divorce, die, or become incarcerated, grandparents simply cannot be isolated from their grandchildren. Grandparents visitation rights dont aim at supplanting the parental rights. Custodial parents have fundamental and constitutional liberty in raising their children, and laws or govern...