GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 36

grandparent rights
My way or the highway
To keep the peace—and your grandchild—do
BY SUSAN HOFFMAN
Dear Susan,
My son and his girlfriend were living with us throughout her
pregnancy and until our first grandchild turned 1. Our son, Patrick,
worked full time, and Kelly lost her job about halfway through her
pregnancy, so she was home a lot. She was so hurtful toward my
wife and me that nothing ever seemed right.
Kelly got a job so they could save enough money to move out,
and we offered to care for Pat Jr. while they were at work. We did
everything for our grandson. Kelly criticized everything—from the
clothes we bought him to the food we gave him. If we put him
down for his nap too early because he seemed tired, then all hell
broke loose.
Susan Hoffman
is the
author of
Grand Wishes:
Advocating to
Preserve the
GrandparentGrandchild

Bond and
director of
Advocates for
Grandparent
Grandchild
Connection.
I got angry and told her we weren’t willing to have her live in
our house as long as she continued the verbal abuse. The next day
she was gone.
Our son and grandson moved out with her. He has tried to
smooth things out, but she won’t listen.
It has been months now, and our calls, emails and texts are not
returned. We left messages that we just wanted to see our grandson
without any interaction from the mom. Our son called and told
us she said not to come over and to stop calling and messaging.
And now, he’s not communicating. I don’t know what to do anymore—the
pain is more than I can endure.
—Enabling grandparents Bob and Teresa
36 GRAND MAY JUNE 2011
*
photo: ©iStockphoto.com/ narvikk

GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011

GRAND - May/June 2011
Grand Treasure Hunt
Table of Contents
Grand View
Grand Central
Rational Grandkids? Yes!
Bragging Rights
Cover Story: A Force For Good
Charlie & Gaytha Hillman: Grand Entrepreneurs
Improving Medicare
Grand Products
Growing Old vs. Growing Up
Too Old For Sex?
Kids as Caregivers
My Way or the Highway
Kinship Care
Find Fun Things To Do
Straight Talk on Disabilities
Look for the Moon in the Morning
Toys ’n Tech
Grand Finale
Op-Ed: Is Sex Forever?
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - intro
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - GRAND - May/June 2011
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 2
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 3
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Grand Treasure Hunt
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Table of Contents
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Grand View
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 7
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Grand Central
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 9
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 10
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 11
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Rational Grandkids? Yes!
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 13
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Bragging Rights
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 15
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 16
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 17
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 18
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Cover Story: A Force For Good
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 20
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 21
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Charlie & Gaytha Hillman: Grand Entrepreneurs
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 23
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Improving Medicare
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 25
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Grand Products
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 27
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Growing Old vs. Growing Up
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 29
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Too Old For Sex?
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 31
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Kids as Caregivers
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 33
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 34
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 35
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - My Way or the Highway
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 37
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 38
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 39
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 40
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Find Fun Things To Do
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Straight Talk on Disabilities
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 43
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Look for the Moon in the Morning
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 45
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Toys ’n Tech
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 47
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Grand Finale
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 49
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - Op-Ed: Is Sex Forever?
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 51
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 52
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 53
GRAND Magazine - May/June 2011 - 54
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