Grandparents who are choosing to pursue legal custody of their grandchildren have been topics of increasing significance in the past few years. Pennsylvania residents may be interested in a study conducted a few years ago that showed the number of children living with a grandparent was up by 3 percent compared to 20 years before. As further proof of the increasing percentage, one grandmother in another state is looking to gain legal custody of four of her grandchildren.
The woman has six children, three of whom still live with her. A fourth child, a son, came to live with her, bringing his four children with him when the school year ended last summer. The grandmother has since requested that her son leave her house; however, she wants to keep his children with her. She already has sought, and been legally awarded, custody of four other grandchildren.
The grandmother wants a second chance at parenting and is hoping she will do a better job than she feels she did the first time. She has put in place rules and structure for the eight children that include chores, supervised homework and a set bedtime. She wants to show her grandchildren the love she feels she never received during her youth.
Cases of grandparents seeking legal custody of their grandchildren can sometimes be difficult, as the children’s parents have priority in the eyes of the court. In each state, the process of awarding custody to grandparents differs, but all courts determine the custody appointments by looking at what is best for the children. Grandparents in Pennsylvania who are working toward obtaining custody of their grandchildren may want to find professionals who have knowledge of family law.
Source: vcstar.com, “El Rio grandmother doing her best to raise eight grandchildren“, Karen Quincy Loberg, Jan. 9, 2016
