As a grandparent, you will be highly invested in the upbringing of your grandchildren. You will want to make sure that their parents are providing the best possible environment for their physical and emotional development, and that they are protected and loved.
If you have concerns about the way your grandchildren are being treated, you will want to raise these issues with your grandchildren’s parents. If you have issues with the way that your child’s partner is treating your grandchildren, however, you may be hesitant to voice your opinion for fear of causing a dispute. It is important that you consider when and how to approach these issues so that your grandchildren can benefit.
Think about how the issue could be resolved
It’s vital to engage in careful reflection before taking action to raise your concerns. If you have genuine concerns for the safety of your grandchildren, you should alert the authorities as a priority. However, if the concerns you have are not directly related to the safety of your grandchildren, you may want to speak to the parents in person. It is common for parents to become defensive upon gaining criticism about their parenting, so you will need to be constructive.
Consider speaking to your child first
If you have concerns about the parenting skills of your child’s partner, you may want to bring up the conversation with your child first. It may be that their thoughts are in accordance with yours, and in this case, you may be able to present a united front.
Choose your battles wisely
Some arguments are more worthy of pursuing than others. For example, being concerned that your grandchild is being bullied or emotionally neglected by one of their parents is a concern of great proportions. Worrying about the amount of television your grandchild watches is clearly a different type of issue. If you do have concerns about your grandchild’s welfare, it may be necessary to look into your legal rights as a grandparent.
If you are considering petitioning for custody of your grandchildren in Tennessee, you should make sure that you are doing so for the sole benefit of your grandchild. It is best to start by understanding how child custody law works.