Not letting grandparents see grandchildren is a common problem in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But if you do not allow your children to have a relationship with their grandparents, you deny them a critical interaction that has been proven to produce improved mental, emotional, and psychological health.
Research has shown that one primary value of grandparents in a grandchild’s life is that the child gets security and a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging fosters better psychological health and helps grandchildren to enter adulthood with a healthy sense of trust, which makes them better-integrated adults.
Other studies have proven that there are mental health benefits of having grandparents in a child’s life. Mental diseases, particularly depression, are warded off in such grandchildren if they continue emotional closeness to their grandparents into their adulthood.
Grandparents Can Be An Important Family Resource
Also, almost everyone has fond memories of time spent with their grandparents. They are of great value to the family because they provide extra support for both grandchildren and parents. If the parents are lacking in any way, or are too busy with work, Grandma or Grandpa always come in handy to soothe worries and make kids of all ages feel appreciated and wanted. Other benefits of grandparents are that they are perfect supporters, arbitrators, and stress buffers for grandchildren of all ages.
Grandparents are also a good source of education on family history and retell memories they had as well as those had by the parents of the grandchildren. They provide fun and learning that can only be gotten from trusted family members such as their grandparents.
Considering this information, it does not seem like it would be a good idea to deny a child the benefits of spending time with his or her grandparents. It must be noted, though, that the research studies quoted were done on grandparents who had good relations with the family of the grandchild, and this good relationship spilled over to the child. When there are severe conflicts in a family, one or more parties may need to reconsider the relationship and even consult a qualified Tulsa grandparents rights attorney.
Why Some Parents Keep Grandparents and Grandchildren Away From Each Other
Bad behavior in grandparents can be one reason why parents keep grandparents away. No parent wants their children to be around anyone with bad behavior, especially since little ones tend to mimic the actions of the adults in their lives. Thus, it can be particularly detrimental to a grandchild to see bad behavior in their grandparents.
It gets more devastating if the grandchildren are aware of the expected role of their grandparents. The only remedy here is for the grandparents to desist from engaging in behavior in the presence of their grandchildren that a parent would have a problem with. Some grandparents can comply with such an expectation.
The other main reason why a parent may choose to keep a grandchild away from their grandparents is terrible relationships. If your child has a bad relationship with you, they may decide to keep your grandchild from you. If you also do not get along with your child’s spouse, they may yet again choose to keep your grandchild from you. A grandparent with complicated relationships with their grown child and the child’s spouse should work on improving those relationships. This is not always easy, but it can be done.
Respecting the Parent’s Preferences
If a grandparent routinely disregards standards of behavior set by a parent, the parent may choose to keep their child from the grandparent. Many grandparents end up overly relaxing the rules, which can cause behavioral problems in the grandchildren.
What would be in the grandchildren’s best interest in such a case is for the grandparents to enforce the rules set by the parents. That way, the grandchild will see that the rules are meant to benefit them rather than thinking they are Mom and Dad’s way of spoiling their fun.
Parents may also be unfit and involved in destructive behaviors around their children that they do not want the grandparents to hear about. All concerned grandparents should keep a healthy relationship with their children and their grandchildren as much as possible. This way, they will know or be able to figure out why they are not allowed to see their grandchildren.
Your child may be divorced or separated, and the other parent of your grandchildren wants you denied visitation rights. When people are not letting grandparents see grandchildren, the situation can get complicated. If you are a grandparent who wishes the best for your grandchildren and are in this situation, talk to a grandparents visitation rights attorney in Tulsa, OK and find out how they can help.
No-Obligation Consultation: Tulsa Grandparents Rights Attorney
Whatever you are dealing with regarding your rights to your grandchildren, talk to an Oklahoma grandparents rights attorney about it. Our attorney is experienced and knowledgeable and will advise you on the best course of action. When you speak with our Tulsa grandparents’ rights attorney, you will determine the best, most possible remedy for your family matter.
For an initial, no-cost, no-obligation consultation, call (918) 994-3323 today or click here to send a consultation request online.