The case presented this February is summarized as a business feud gone awry between a father and grandfather, which ultimately led to both grandmother and grandfather being denied visitation and time with their grandchildren by both biological parents. The lower courts ordered visitation, but the Alabama State Appeals and Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents, citing Troxel v. Granville.
The US Supreme Court did not comment on its decision not to hear the Alabama case, which would've reopened discussion on grandparent and relative visitation.

The result of the refusal is that grandparent visitation remains a very difficult and nearly impossible feat for grandparents when both parents are in agreement in denying visitation.

The National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights believes grandparents have a right to visitation when it is in the best interests of the child and that the relationship remains healthy and supportive.

Be on the lookout this March for an upcoming paper on the importance of grandparents and their role in a child's life.

For more information on Troxel v. Granville, click here.

Grandparent Leaders:

• Respond to grandparents in their community via telephone and email

• Represent the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights at local community events

• Represent the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights on local and statewide coalitions

• Participate in an initial and ongoing training through webinars with NCGCR

As we move forward with these new initiatives focused on education, thought leadership, and advocacy for children, grandparents, and kinship families, we hope that you'll be a part of the movement!

The bill was introduced by State Senator Brad Ashford as part of an effort to encourage more involvement and care for children in broken homes.
Today, the bill faces significant opposition from those who believe it's not the court's place to determine who can be involved in the life of a child beyond the rights of biological or legally-named parents.

Opening the door for "anyone" to petition for visitation might seem an invasive move on the family unit to many attorneys and families, but the intention behind the proposal is anything but. In a world where families are decreasing in number and increasing in distance, the ability of a child to have meaningful, positive relationships with those who love them is not only a good idea, but something to be enthusiastically encouraged.

Of course, in general most proposals are never made into law, and many legislative initiatives take between 8 and 12 years to pass - so it may be a while before Nebraska relatives can request visitation. We hope that parents will continue to support healthy, positive relationships in the meantime.

If you have your grandchildren, why not try a Valentine's Day craft?  We're big fans of Martha Stewart here, and she's got some awesome craft ideas for grandparents and kids.

There are also some pretty fun Valentine's Day specials and activities on PBS this year.

Or, if you're just looking for some laughs, check out a funny column on Huffington Post.

Whatever you do today, may it be in the spirit of togetherness and compassion.  We wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!

The forum will be held on Wednesday, February 1^st at the Senior Citizens Center of Saratoga Springs, 5 Williams Street, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866, from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. It is free and open to the public.

"In Saratoga County alone, there are over 1,000 grandparents raising their grandchildren, and that’s not counting the many other relatives taking responsibility for children,” said Executive Director Jerry Wallace. "Very little if any services exist for these families. Our intention is to hold an informational meeting in February, and then to continue offering local support groups for these unique families to share experiences and receive helpful information.”

The forum, titled "Saratoga Springs Grandparents & Relatives Caring for Children” will provide local grandparents and other relatives raising children with information on financial assistance, grandparent and relative rights, caring for children, respite care, special resources, and more. If grandparents are unable to attend, they can contact Kimberly Yerdon for more information at 518-833-0215 or 1-888-659-3745.

The National Committee of Grandparents for Children’s Rights is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building a brighter future for the 2.9 million children nationwide being raised by their grandparents, including the 20,000 children right here in New York’s Capital District. More information can be found online at www.grandparentsforchildren.org/events.

In the movie (don’t worry, no real spoilers abound), a wealthy Naval Officer hires a soon-to-be-nun to care for his children, who are strictly forbidden to practice any form of music. Of course, Julie Andrews, the beautiful and kindly nun, swiftly breaks this rule and the children soon discover the joys of a rhythmic noise otherwise known as song.

The movie got me thinking – how can grandparents help their grandchildren to appreciate music? Particularly as music can help improve reading skills, aid in clearer speech and annunciation, and boost a child’s confidence.

Music has always been a part of my life – from listening to great bands such as the Beatles when I was young and my mom controlled the tape player, to today’s plethora of and easy access to a wide-ranging musical library via my iPhone. In middle school, I played the flute, and graduated to the bassoon by junior high. I even played in college and spent my free time at local concerts and performances.

For young children, it’s easy to control the content of your music choices – and even make music yourself. You can do so with pots and pans from the kitchen, or even use a computer program to play the piano! Not to mention most children are full of imagination, and taking advantage of that by making up songs and using your own creativity to create a bit can be the most fun experience of the day. Some great ideas to create home-made musical instruments can be found here.

As children get older, they begin to pick and choose the music they listen to, and it’s likely what they like may not be your cup of tea. But, you can still encourage your grandchild’s interest in the art, and continue to provide them with opportunities to attend live music events, or sponsor their instrument rental while they’re going through school.

If nothing else, sing to your grandchildren – sing, sing, sing all the time. About whatever comes to your mind – whether it’s a song you remember from childhood, or one you’re just making up. Trust me, whatever song you sing, your grandchildren will never forget.

We know the usually – Nan, Nana, Gran, Grannie, Grandmama, Gramps, Granddaddy, Pop, Papa…

The titles are often culturally-based, such as French nicknames "Pepe” for grandpa, and "Meme” for grandma. Or, "YiaYia” and "Papu” in Greek.

Sometimes the names are made-up words from grandchildren who have yet to learn their vowel sounds.

What do your grandchildren call you?

Childcare is a huge financial burden on a family – sometimes costing more than college.  So – who do parents turn to in times of hardship? That’s right, grandparents.

Seven million children are living with their grandparents nationwide. That’s one in ten.  Many studies have suggested that as little as 1 in 4 of children in childcare are being cared for by a grandparent, and as many as 60% of grandparents provide some kind of care:  regular childcare, backup care, sick care, before- and after-school care, and summer care.  

There are arguments against grandparent childcare, mostly that children in grandparent care are less ready for school than children in private childcare, although their vocabulary tends to be more advanced. But other studies indicate that grandmothers who babysit 200 to 500 hours a year exercise more and get depressed less often. There isn’t enough data either way to present a solid argument either way, but here at the National Committee of Grandparents for Children’s Rights, we have our own opinion.

We believe that grandparents can, and do provide a healthy, happy, and affordable alternative for private childcare – if they have access to the tools and supports to be the best caregiver that they can be. This includes linking grandparents with information on household safety, child development, early literacy, and social-emotional development.

More and more communities are providing "grandparenting” classes to support a grandparent’s new role, and the information shared is often relevant and useful.

There are many considerations when thinking about providing childcare for your grandchildren. You can find eleven of them here. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide if taking on this role is a burden or a blessing – and we tend to think it’s the latter.

Praise your grandchildren, a lot. There’s that old adage that goes something like, "Tell me I can’t do it and you’ll motivate me to try even harder.” Unfortunately, that logic doesn’t work as well with children as it might with an employee of yours. Kids need to be loved and to feel supported in their endeavors – since, undoubtedly they will both succeed and fail in them throughout their youth.

Love your own children, even when it’s hard. Many of the grandparents we work with are raising their grandchildren and feelings about mom and dad can be adversarial at best. But, it’s still in your grandchild’s best interest to keep your anger and frustrations out of their eyes and ears. What’s between you and your own children should remain there, and not used to create boundaries between your grandchildren and their parents.

Don’t just give to your grandchildren, but help them be smart about money. A colleague of mine told me her approach to teaching children about money: for every dollar her daughter receives, she gets to spend a little, saves a little, and gives a little away to charity.

Make an effort to learn about the world your grandchildren live in. You might not understand or use Facebook, are frightened of Twitter and tweeting, be nervous about texting, and find cell phones that respond to your questions to be some kind of machine out of the Twilight Zone, but I can assure you – your grandchild has already mastered these technologies. To both keep them safe, and keep you in the loop, take the time to learn more about them.

Teach your grandchildren their history. My grandmother died before I learned the answers to so many of the questions I have today. While websites and search engines can help me fill in the blanks, all I know of my family history consists of census records and a few photographs of unknown individuals. Your grandchildren will thank you one day for all of those long stories about your own grandparents.

Celebrities and politicians, from Pierce Brosnan to Carol Burnett to Oprah Winfrey, were raised by their grandparents. That list goes on to include Samuel L. Jackson, Lucille Ball, Morgan Freeman, the rapper 50 Cent, Isaac Newton, Leo Tolstoy, and Al Pacino among others.

Television and movies are ripe with examples of grandparents being responsible for their grandchildren: Neville Longbottom of the Harry Potter series was raised by his grandmother. Sookie and Jason Stackhouse of the hit television show True Blood were raised by their grandmother. The Tibbles from the cartoon Arthur were also raised by their grandparents.

In fact, President George Washington raised two of his step-grandchildren.

Grandparents are so important in a child's development, whether they're raising the child or just visitors.
In fact, children who have relationships with their grandparents have a better sense of self and more self-esteem. Parents who have relationships with grandparents cope better with stress.

Grandparents who are in contact with grandchildren experience decreased memory loss, decreased depression, and increased life satisfaction.

But not all grandparents have the means to raise their grandchildren, and not all grandparents have the opportunity to visit with their grandchildren.

That's why the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights works so hard to make a difference in the lives of thousands of grandparents each year. Six thousand at least - who call our helpline, email us, or find the information they need on our website. Millions more could use our help, and today, we're asking that you help make that possible.

Please consider making a donation today - to support grandparents and grandchildren. Even $10 or $25 will go a long way in making a difference for families everywhere.

Donate online, or mail a check to: National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights, 103 Remsen Street, Suite 202, Cohoes, NY 12047. All donations made before January 1st count toward your 2011 tax deductions.

2. Grandparents matter. They make a difference in the lives of our nation's children, and every child has a right to a happy and healthy relationship with their grandparent.

3. By donating today, you can double your donation and get a tax write-off for 2011. But you have to donate by January 1st!

Make a donation today, and make a difference for tomorrow.

Donate online, or mail a check to: National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights, 103 Remsen Street, Suite 202, Cohoes, NY 12047.

All donations made before January 1st count toward your 2011 tax deductions.

"My daughter and I were always close. When she was in her early 20s, she got pregnant and became a single mother. I took her and my grandchild in to live with me. She worked hard to better her life, and eventually fell in love with a man and moved out. It was a happy time in all of our lives. But, it was short-lived.

Only a few years after my second grandchild was born, my daughter died of ovarian cancer. It was devastating to me, and more so for her two children. My son-in-law could not handle the burden and emotional toll of the loss, so he left my two grandchildren in my care.

A few years later, my son-in-law met another woman, and wanted his children back. We worked together at first, but then when it became evident this was a fleeting and unstable relationship, I did all that I could to maintain stability and a happy and healthy home for my grandchildren. It meant fighting my son-in-law in court, dealing with child protective services, and emptying my bank account for lawyers, counseling fees, and to put food on the table when my son-in-law neglected to pay child support."

Shirley nearly lost her two grandchildren, but with help from the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights, she found an attorney who was willing to work with her. We told her about benefits for her grandchildren to help support their needs while she battled with the system.

Dealing with child protective services and the court system was more difficult than any challenge Shirley ever had with her grandchildren. We are grateful that, due to the support from individuals like you, we were able to be there for Shirley.

Please consider making a donation today - to support grandparents and grandchildren. Even $10 or $25 will go a long way in making a difference for families everywhere.

Donate online, or mail a check to: National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights, 103 Remsen Street, Suite 202, Cohoes, NY 12047. All donations made before January 1st count toward your 2011 tax deductions.

"I thought I was alone in all of this... That this was unique to me... Wrong!" says Carol about her experience of parenting a second time around. "I really didn't know how to answer those questions anymore. When I raised my children it was a different era. This is a whole new era of grandparents... I've seen great-grandparents raising grandchildren."

Carol continues, "[As grandparents], we want to see our children healthy and we want them to raise their own children, come and visit us, and go home. Well, that's not the way it is... [But] if I had to do it all over again? In a heartbeat, right from day one, there'd be no question."

Watch Carol and Christina's story, and donate today to the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights - to make sure we can help families like Carol and Christina's, today and long into tomorrow.

"There lives would've been devastated [had we not stepped in]," says Linda about her grandchildren. "Our grandchildren deserve a life of safety and security and we are the ones who are able to provide it. That's why we need the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights. We need them to help us help our grandchildren." And, according to Vinnie, "to help other grandparents in the same situation."

Watch Linda and Vinnie's story on YouTube, and make a donation today to the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights to make sure we can help grandparents like Linda and Vinnie, and their beautiful grandchildren, today and long into tomorrow.

Texting for Seniors