Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

To grandmothers house we go, again and again and again

By Karen Best Wright, www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

I recently received an email from a grandmother who was getting her grandchildren for the third time. They are hoping to be able to adopt the children this go round. I thought about how difficult this must be for the children to be back and forth so many times between the mother and the grandparents.

Then I thought about a conversation I recently had with a very educated  professional woman who had been a foster mother. She and her husband wanted to adopt the child but the courts placed him back with his mother. Later this woman learned that the child was back in the system again. They applied to be his foster parents again only to learn that in their state a child could not be placed in the same foster home twice. That really made no sense. That was simply the law in their state, and they had no luck in changing it.

So while some children are unfortunate in being bounced back and forth within a family, some children are bounced around to different families. How very sad that there are such horrible laws. Laws that are meant to  protect children sometimes do them great damage.

Karen Wright
A grandmother in love with her  grandchildren

Finding an online message board for grandparents

By Karen Best Wright, www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

I have had numerous emails from grandparents wanting to know of any online chat groups or message boards for grandparents raising grandchildren. I found a few at www.eons.comWhen you go to their site, do a search for grandparenting or the like and you will find various sites to select from. You must register to post to a message board, but there is no fee.

Karen Wright
A grandmother in love with her grandchildren

Grandparents seeking guardianship of grandchildren in Illinois, IL

By Karen Best Wright, www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

I came across some good information recently for grandparents in the Chicago area who are seeking guardianship of their grandchildren. This information came from the Cook County Court website. http://www.cookcountycourt.org/services/services/guardianship.html Go to their website to learn more about the assistance that is offered. It looks to be very helpful.

Guardianship Assistance Desk for Minors
 
Circuit Court of Cook County
69 West Washington Street, Room 1020
Chicago, Illinois 60602
(312) 603-0135
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

 

When you can't take your grandchildren

By Karen Best Wright, www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

I recently received an email from a grandmother who is 60 and due to health reasons does not feel that she can take her 5 grandchildren, again. She is battling with feeling guilty about not raising them, even though they have been placed in very good homes. Just because some of us have raised our grandchildren does not mean it is the right thing for everyone. I hope any of you who feel that you are honestly not up to the task and do not take on the challenge can find other ways to help your grandchildren, even if you can't raise them. Many grandparents simply are not in a position to start all over again. But that does not mean that they can't contribute to the well-being of the children and still share their love with them. Sometimes we all have to be very creative in the way we deal with these issues. I appreciate each and every email I get from grandmothers and grandfathers too, of course.

Karen Wright
A grandmother in love with her grandchildren

Thank you grandmothers for your comments

By Karen Best Wright, www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

I want to say thank you to the nice comments I have received from my readers. I really do appreciate the emotional support. I am also really glad that what I write has helped some of you other grandmothers.

I have prayed lately for transparency. I have prayed that I would be able to see truth, to see life from a higher perspective. I have thought about how God loves all of us the same. Since I believe in guardian angels, I realized that even when mortals are having problems and contentions amongst ourselves, the angels are not taking sides and arguing amongst themselves or cheering for this person or that person. So I have prayed for truth to be made known and the highest good for everyone involved.

While I have for sometime felt as if I were groping in the dark and walking on creaking floors that did not feel secure, slowly the darkness is becoming less scary or maybe I am just feeling a hand guiding me through the darkness of uncertainties.

Perhaps the words of my 22 year old wonderful daughter helped me. "Mom, I am so proud of you. You are so good at adapting to changes. You have had to do it so many times." I'm not sure what that says about me that my life is always changing, but in her mind I am really good at adapting. So maybe I am better at it than I feel sometimes.

I do feel that the darkness is beginning to lift even if there are many uncertainties lying ahead of me over the next few months. I know I am being vague about what is going on in my life, but that is necessary. When I get emails from grandmothers with heart wrenching stories, I really do understand what they are feeling. Maybe there is a reason I am going through some tough times right now. Perhaps this will allow me to help more of you in the future.

Karen Wright
A grandmother in love with her grandchildren