Proposed legislation requires accused parents to arrange and pay for supervision, thereby creating another hurdle to parental access and diminishing resources available to pay child support. The legislation appears more punitive than protective-a new weapon in divorce wars serving to increase false and distorted abuse allegations. In the end, our children pay in one form or another. Warring couples sometimes deny grandparents access to grand- children. In divorce and paternity cases, grandparents now have a right to seek visitation in their own names.
Courts grant visitation if consistent with the best interests of the children.
The children spent holidays and vacations with you before the divorce. You often took care of the children. You practice certain family traditions which the children should experience. The children's aunts, uncles, and cousins often visit you, and the children should have an opportunity to know their extended family. In 1993 Massachusetts lawmakers gave judges discretion to order divorced parents to pay child support and college tuition until age 23 if the child is a full time undergraduate student.