Your grandchildren are living in your home. Now what? Raising your grandchildren is not an easy task and there are legal questions to be answered.

You are to be commended for taking on the task of raising a second family. I know you didn’t ask for the job, but now it is yours.

Have you checked with a lawyer?

You may not feel you need one, but if it comes down to you having legal custody of your grandchildren you cannot afford to walk into court unprepared. Grandparents do have some legal rights now, but nothing is set in stone.

How are you doing financially?

Some of you may still be working and are able to absorb the extra expense of your new family. While, some may already be on a fixed income, used to be called retirement, and may be struggling to make ends meet.

How’s your relationship with the parent of the grandchild?

That parent is still your child. Sometimes they are just in need of a little help until they can get life together. Sometimes they have gotten themselves into a mess and need some serious help. Help you may not be qualified to give.

Are there other grandparents involved?

You may desire to have your grandkids with you, but they may have been given to the other grandparents. That’s the problem with this situation, you have some many people and personalities to deal with and that can be a big problem.

What about the home life the child or children came out from?

Sometimes this can be a real problem. There can be abuse, drugs, alcohol, pornography and who knows what else. The society your grandchildren live in today is much different from the one in which you grew-up.

Here’s a few tips for overcoming these problems.

1. You really need a lawyer, even if you do not plan to get legal custody of the children. You need to know your rights and things do change.

2. Seek out financial advice. Proper financial planning is crucial if you are short on cash. You may want to investigate additional sources of income. If you have legal custody you may qualify for financial aid.

3. Check out various support groups. Some online forums offer limited legal advice and you can find others in the same position as you and can be a big moral booster.

4. There are several good books available. Check Amazon and others for suggestions.

The information in the raising grandchildren is limited right now, but I am sure that will change soon, as there are 4.5 million kids living with their grandparents in the United States. This is a huge market and I am sure there will be more help soon.