T his example of denied grandparent access may be the most tragic of all scenarios. These children lost not only a parent but also an entire side of their family. I wish I could say that this is an unusual situation, but sadly it is not. Somewhere along the way it has been lost that grandparents are a crucial resource for families and that children deserve to have all the love they can get. When children are unreasonably denied access to grandparents with whom they have bonded, the children lose part of their past and grandparents lose their future. Children are often treated as property with little concern for their wants, needs and emotional welfare. When their liberty interests are violated, it is the grandparents who end up becoming their voices. Although these issues are referred to as grandparent rights, in reality it is the right of a child to remain connected to grandparents. Grandparent rights are not “automatic” but merely give standing in a court of law, which means grandparents may petition the court for visitation with a grandchild when they find themselves entangled with visitation issues that can only be solved in court. The grandparent visitation rights movement is directed toward protecting and preserving that part of a child’s extended family. It is an ongoing struggle of individuals promoting the preservation of the family unit by influencing legislation and the public. For resources on grandparent visitation rights see page 43, and see articles at AARP.org.http://www.maturepublishers.com http://www.aarp.org/family/grandparenting/articles/grandparent_visit_rights_update.html?CMP=KNC-360I-GOOGLE-FAM&HBX_OU=50&HBX_PK=grandparents_law&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=grandparents%2Blaw&utm_campaign=AARP%2BFamily