This is the next post in my series discussing the visitation rights of Las Vegas grandparents and other important third persons in a child’s life. My last post discussed how a parent may defend against a third party visitation request. In this post I will advise how both the parent and the third party should proceed once a Court Order granting visitation has been made.
A third party winning visitation over the objections of a parent is similar to other Orders issued by the Clark County Family Court. Once the Order is filed then the parent must allow the grandparent or third party to visit with the child or children during the hours and days decreed by the Judge. It is important that a parent accept the Court’s decision and not act in a way that dissuades the children from visiting with the third party. Important rules for a parent to follow include:
- Do not bad mouth the third party in front of the children
- Do not discourage the children from attending their visitation or plan other activities for them on visitation day
- Ensure that the children are ready and on time for their visitation
- Avoid confrontations with the third party and use a drop off zone or informal mediator if necessary
As for the third party who has won their visitation a similar list of rules apply. The grandparent or other person receiving visitation must also be a reliable and consistent part of the children’s life. It is important not to cancel or reschedule visits that have been set. It is important to plan age appropriate activities with the children during the visitation and to not show up late. It is equally important for the grandparents to avoid making disparaging comments about the child’s parent, or engaging in a confrontation during pickup and drop off.
Both the parents and grandparents must remember that the health and happiness of the children are the most important thing. Whether the parent agrees with the Court decision or not, once a decision is made the best course of action is to accept the decision and avoid putting the children in additional uncomfortable positions.
Once time passes and emotions have settled, if it is at all possible, it is always advisable for the parents and grandparents to continue to try and put their differences aside. Permanent Court Ordered visitations with grandparents are an uncomfortable way for a child to live, and are only a short term solution. The only true long-term solution is for the family to find a way to get alone enough so that the child can enjoy a relationship with everyone throughout their life.