California Multiple Parents Bill? (tax, pay, kids)

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by e_cuyler

It seems like it's more of a way to keep kids out of the foster care system when they don't really need to be there. Right now if a child has two "official" parents and neither of them can care for the child, that child goes into the system even if there are other family who could be involved.

Absolutely I agree with this. No child should have to go into foster care if there is an immediate (or even not so immediate) family member that is capable of taking care of the child in a reasonable fashion.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by the_windwalker

So, you have a couple that has a child, gets a divorce, and the woman gets married again (or the guy gets married again). The step-father gets to support the child financially and often has a close relationship with the child. Are you for leaving the step-parents out or the non-custodial natural parent out?

I"ve raised 4 kids of my own, and I now have 10 grandchildren. To them, I'm "GRANDPA". But, I remarried a woman that has 5 grandchildren that live close by. Since their natural grandfather lives half way across the country, I'm the closest thing they have to a "grandpa" in the area. So, I'm "GRANDPA" to 15 kids.

Now, put the natural parents in that position. The natural parents have legal rights, and that's the way it should be. But, the step-parents also find themselves responsible for the children in various ways, at various times. In the child's best interests, shouldn't there also be something legal there? If the child is injured, and only the step-parent is there... (And, that certainly does happen) Someone has to sign for the medical treatment. You want the kid to wait an hour and a half for one of the natural parents to get there to sign the permission to treat the child?????

Definitely I agree in an emergency situation a step-parent or other close relative should be able to sign for a child's treatment especially if a biological parent can't be reached or arrive on the scene immediately.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

What to do? What to do?

Wring your rosary beads and call Mother Angelica for advice on marriage, parenting and raising those grand kids. She's the perfect choice, having never been married or had kids of her own.

[Bulldogdad]

Anything that places financial burden for raising kids on individuals versus the state is fine with me. Not that I am an expert in family law but cant a Judge just take the parental rights away from unfit parents and give them to someone who is, currently?

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

. Not that I am an expert in family law but cant a Judge just take the parental rights away from unfit parents and give them to someone who is, currently?

By law that is true, terminating a parent's rights is not undertaken lightly, and there is cost to the state, and is not always the required action. In the case of a step parent, they have no legal standing and can lose contact with the children they have taken care of for years due to divorce, this law can address that issue.

[Bulldogdad]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

By law that is true, terminating a parent's rights is not undertaken lightly, and there is cost to the state, and is not always the required action. In the case of a step parent, they have no legal standing and can lose contact with the children they have taken care of for years due to divorce, this law can address that issue.

Makes more sense to me to transfer the rights from a parent that isnt meeting their responsibilities to another adult who is currently.

Seems to me this bill is really just to create more fiduciaries for the child in question.

[CAVA1990]

My only problem would be if this conveys any rights on grandparents. They should have no special standing different from any other individuals outside the nuclear family. Once your kids are adults they should be completely independent.

[the_windwalker]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

My only problem would be if this conveys any rights on grandparents. They should have no special standing different from any other individuals outside the nuclear family. Once your kids are adults they should be completely independent.

Are you serious? In this economy??? When so many couples are moving in with their parents????

Yes, they "should" be independent, but over the past decade, more and more are moving in with parents because of job market and income level. So, especially through the summer months, grandpa and grandma become "built-in" babysitters. In their retirement years, they're bringing up kids again. Then, during a recent rain storm, the little 7 year-old-boy, playing in the flooded street, steps on a piece of broken glass hidden in the water and needs about 25 or 50 stitches in the bottom of his foot. Gee whiz... Grandpa is right there, but the kid has to wait till either mom or dad gets there to approve it.

If grandparents are doing the job, they may as well have the authority that goes along with the responsibility. But, it doesn't have to be grandparents. It should go for anyone that has the responsibility for the kids while the natural parents are not (or can not be) present in case of an emergency, or at the time of an emergency. Things like that always happen "right on schedule", don't they.....

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by the_windwalker

Are you serious? In this economy??? When so many couples are moving in with their parents????

Yes, they "should" be independent, but over the past decade, more and more are moving in with parents because of job market and income level. So, especially through the summer months, grandpa and grandma become "built-in" babysitters. In their retirement years, they're bringing up kids again. Then, during a recent rain storm, the little 7 year-old-boy, playing in the flooded street, steps on a piece of broken glass hidden in the water and needs about 25 or 50 stitches in the bottom of his foot. Gee whiz... Grandpa is right there, but the kid has to wait till either mom or dad gets there to approve it.

If grandparents are doing the job, they may as well have the authority that goes along with the responsibility. But, it doesn't have to be grandparents. It should go for anyone that has the responsibility for the kids while the natural parents are not (or can not be) present in case of an emergency, or at the time of an emergency. Things like that always happen "right on schedule", don't they.....

If parents agree to it ahead of time and in writing that's fine. Also, let's get real here: under current law a child won't be denied emergency medical care because mom or dad isn't there to give permission. I've seen too many cases of "buttinsky" grandparents attempting to supercede parental authority merely because they don't agree with how a grandkid is being raised. Your kids moving back in example is weak considering nearly all of those kids don't have kids. Once you're 18 a parent is just another fellow adult with no more or fewer legal entitlements than any other fellow adult.

This law looks like something lawyers cooked up to generate more business from the lawsuits galore that would result from it.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

I put de lime and de coconut and shake dem all up!

Hey if you can do it with a tropical libation why not do it with a turkey baster filled with ....