With divorce come many qualms. However, divorcing parents in New Mexico and elsewhere should understand that is often the natural process of dissolution. When children are involved, there are additional considerations and factors to assess. Moreover, there are relationships other than child-parent relationships that need to be addressed during divorce. The grandparent-grandchild relationship is often a strong and well-established relationship. Therefore, parents and grandparents should work to maintain this relationship during and after dissolution by ensuring grandparent visitation.

What are the benefits of grandparent visitation and the grandparent-grandchild relationship? According to a recent study by researchers at Boston College, researchers found that when there are emotionally close ties between grandparents and grandchildren, depressive symptoms are reduced in both groups. Additionally, close grandparent-grandchild relationships often mark strong family ties overall.

For grandparents, the major benefit this relationship provides is a connection with a younger generation, as well as an exposure to different ideas. For grandchildren, a major benefit for them is the fact that grandparents have the ability to offer life wisdom that they can practice while they navigate young adulthood.

Researchers noted the importance of parents being aware of these relationships because major changes, such as divorce could alter or impede this bond. Therefore, parents should do their best to consider the best interest of the child when determining when their child can visit their grandparents.

Additionally, grandparents who believe they are not afforded the opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren could invoke their grandparents’ rights, and ask for grandparent visitation. This could help them obtain quality visitation time with their grandchildren, ensuring their relationship is not harmed by the dissolution of the parents’ marriage.

Source: OxfordJournals.org, “Solidarity in the Grandparent-Adult Grandchild Relationship and Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms,” accessed on April 19, 2016