Visiting grandchildren
 

I know that the rule for visiting grandchildren is 30 days. But does that mean 30 days per grandchild or a total of 30 days for all the grandchildren that you have? And also does that mean 30 days at one time or for a specific period of time?

30 consecutive days for any child under the age of 19. Obviously the intent is to avoid having children living full time in TV.

Consecutive Bare? I believe the policy is no more than 30 days (per child) in a calendar year. They can be consecutive days or spread out throughout the year. That is my understand anyway.

Skybo, you are probably correct. Sorry LABSX2. :doh: I haven't had the need myself to call The Villages and check. I was just relying on information provided by a neighbor, which is never a good idea. I stand corrected and shouldn't have responded.

Well I'm not positive either as I've never had underage visitors, I just think I remember reading that in an official policy statement...but I can't seem to find that source this morning.

Well, I guess where I am going with this is that I only have 1 grandchild that would be visiting, so if someone else has 5, if just doesn't seem right that I only get 30 days, but they would get 150 days.

I have 9 grandchildren, and 4 great grand children, so by your reasoning, your 1 grandchild should have 390 days per year to be fair ??...The policy is any visitor under 19 may stay 30 days in a calendar year.

No, that is not my reasoning at all. I just think that the policy should have some common sense added to it.

30 days is quite sensible considering the number of grandchildren we could have on any given day, the resources to keep them entertained, and the tolerance by neighbors , most of whom have opted to move into a development for people over 55.

The policy is to protect you from having your neighbor open a day care center in their home. Your grandchild can only visit you 30 days a year, but you are free to visit your grandchild at their home as often as you like.

I agree the 30 days are very sensible. That's one of the reasons we moved into a retirement village. If we wanted to put up with grandchildren we would have moved into the suburbs. If people want to see more of their grandchildren, you can always go vist them.

The way I understood it is 30 days per child. We have five grandchildren ranging in age from infant to 18.

The two "babies" would come with their parents.

The three older ones would come with their parents.

Schools get one week of Christmas Vacation.
One week of winter vacation in February.
One week of spring vacation in April when Florida really is the nicest and we would bring our own to Disney World.
July and three weeks in August for summer vacation.

Obviously, the parents can't be flying the kids down for all of those school vacations........so I would think at the very most it "might" be one week or two weeks per year.......which would equal 14 days......if that.

Growing children have so many extracurricular activities these days , not to mention summer camps and other activities........

The parents live in different parts of the country and wouldn't necessarily be able to all come at once (meaning sister and brother and their spouses).

If they were able to.........then I still think it would be 30 days per child but not too many parents could afford to keep flying the kids down to do the "thirty days".

Obviously, Disney World and all the other attractions would be a big draw.........

I would say that common sense would prevail. If my next door neighbor had 16 grandkids under 19 and they were there individually for 30 days each, I might just put in a phone call to the Deeds Restrictions office.

However, with common sense, that situation is not going to occur.

Since I don't have grandchildren at all, can I sell my allowable days to someone else? :D

we have 3 grandchildren, 16 year old has no interest in coming, 13 year old dances all but 2 weeks out of the year, so not going to happen, 10 year old would come but only for a week cause we don't have 100 games he has on his gaming system....so we travel to see them and everyone is happy

Only if they stay at your house! :MOJE_whot:

You are correct in assuming that is just not going to happen.

Young children usually do not travel on their own, one at a time.

They usually would come as a family unit.

My guess would be April spring vacation which is one week off from school.

I really doubt if they'd come for their entire summer vacation......although the option is there.

Children are a great JOY and enrich all of our lives. Watching them grow from infancy through childhood and marveling at their intelligence and kindness is a "gift" to grandparents. If one enjoyed their own children, which we did, then they should enjoy their grandchildren even more so.

When they were all babies, pre school, etc. they came to visit us much more often as they had no other responsibilities......however, as everyone knows.....once they begin school, sports, extracurricular lessons, church activities, etc. and not to even mention all their friends' birthday parties, summer camps, etc............they really don't come "home" that much any more......once they become teenagers with part time jobs and even more "activities".....then college.......it would be a rare visit, for sure.

No one should really worry about visiting grandchildren.....just enjoy them.

They keep you young at heart.

:BigApplause::BigApplause:

Not that I would ever do such a thing, but a rule is only good if it is followed. I guess they could stay more than thirty days in a year, but you could only get a guest pass for said thirty days. Now, I'm going to duck before the tomatoes start being tossed this way.
:throwtomatoes:

I was thinking the same exact thing. If they didn't need the guest passes, like if you had your own swimming pool.......who is really counting?

Or, if you did a lot of "away" day trips to Disney, Harry Potter, etc. or to the beach, who would be counting their comings and goings???

However, since ours would need to purchase airfare, I doubt if they would overstay their welcome from other villagers/neighbors.

Mine are only two hours away, but can only get here if I go get them. Uh, don't see that happening. I like visiting them at their house so we can leave when we want.

After 30 days with a grand parent, any normal child would naturally progress to being a pain in the butt to the rest of the community. 30 days is too much in my opinion, more than that is not a visit, it is raising the child.

Not very many grandparents would want to raise children again, that's for sure. I "hear you".

With ours that live out west, they come once a year; deleting the two travel days (from and back to the airport) the amount of time with us is approximately four full days , plus the two travel days.

Regarding the ones that live in the same state but three hours away, they come for long weekends. It used to be 4 times a year; now is less as they are all so involved with so many activities.
We go up to see them several times in the spring/summer. Winter travel is not easy up here.

However, we are all looking forward to two full weeks at the Maine seacoast for all three families this coming summer........I rented a great place with lots of kid friendly activities plus lesiurely days at the beach.
Huge home with room for all.

No one has ever stayed for 30 days....and I doubt very very much if Florida would change things in that respect. What do they say about company after three days????????????

Here's a scenario for you. We have a college age son who would come home for the summer from school. We have taken care of the issue, but as we grow our population, with some folks retiring earlier and younger, this will happen more often. 55 year old retires, has a 18 that they had when they where in their 30s. Or in our case, moved in here in our 40s......

I don't understand your point on this one jbdfan. Could you explain a little more?

A couple of points - first, all the news I see on television say that people are needing to work to an older age and postpone retirement.

Second, if you say moved to The Villages in your 40's and had a child under 19 living with you, you would not be allowed to move into The Villages.

A college age person certainly would be welcome here for the summer or even full-time. They would be at least 19.

I don't see what the problem is. The policy states that a resident can apply for a visitor's pass which would be valid for 30 days per year. A visitor is anybody over the age of 1 y/o. It doesn't necessarily have to be a friend, it can be a child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, brother or sister, anybody. The guest will be able to stay with you for 30 consecutive or non-consecutive days in a given year. As far as I can see, there is nothing written to limit the number of guests you may have visit in a year, as long as they have a visitor's pass.

No they wouldn't. All three of my children started college at 17-18. Their first summer off, they were still 18. If I had them come stay with me, they would have to leave after 30 days because they are still under 19. This is more common than you think. We held off buying the first year my son was in school for this very reason. He lived in Tampa 9 months, with us the other.
Finally, a teacher or many other fortunate professions are able to retire at 55 or earlier based on how frugal they are.

Not really a big deal, Gracie. Just pointing out that this is a possibility. As I mentioned, in our case, we put off buying a year for this reason. Worked out best for us!

Just a point of clarification Ooper, the 30 day per year maximum only applies to guests under the age of 19. Guests 19 and older have no limits on the number of days per year they can stay in TV. The (out-of-area) guest IDs are only issued for 30 days at a time, but they can be renewed.

I see this place as a privilege, not a right. It was designed for the over 55 retired person and that is what drew us here.

We knew the rules about underage children living here and we tried to famiarlize ourselves with other rules and deed restrictions before we opted to buy. If I wanted to move to Orlando I could have done that. There are any number of communities throughout this country that are for all ages and have no restrictions.. This is a wonderful place that has many opportunities for MOST senior people to move here. All of the amenities are the same for all if you paid 65K for your home or a million and a half.

Thanx, Skybo for that clarification.

Exactly. Enough already.

Well said. It has already been said in an earlier thread but it is worth repeating. Observe the rules, get the rules changed, move to a neighborhood more suitable to you needs. It is highly unlikely the rules are going to be changed.

That's like I said, easy fix. We just got an in-area guest pass and that took care of the issue. Rules are rules! Same as with Gkids that live nearby, I get to see them once a week all year around AND they get to use the amenities with us. Pretty sweet deal!

I have been truly enlightened by the comments. And Senior Citizen, I am, in fact, at this time raising my 7 year old granddaughter and I thank God everyday that I physically and mentally able to do that. Grandchildren are a bless.

I'm getting confused. Wasn't this thread supposed to be about how many days per year grandchildren can visit their grandparents in THE VILLAGES?

For all practical reasons, I really don't think anyone has to worry about any grandchildren overstaying their welcome.

I'll say it again, children are a blessing to all who know them......
To even think that their mere presence is not welcome....is a turn off.

Our 7 month old grandbaby even got her first hole in one on the Nancy Lopez golf course......where our rental home was.......and not one neighbor came out and complained that she was "sitting" near the "hole" and flag...........everyone was very nice.

All of our grandchildren are well behaved and highly intelligent.
Adults in their own communities love to have them around.
I don't see a problem at all.

For those who have to have their older college kids live with them, during the summer school vacations..........I don't see that as an issue either.

Now, if they are the rowdy partying type, that's another story.....altogether. We've always opened our homes to college friends and still do........now they come with their spouses and babies plus school aged children.
Kids keep you young at heart.

All of our friends have a slew of grandchildren and I've never seen negative responses to the presence of children.........they are all adorable.
Plus, the older ones are very helpful.

God bless you and it's great that she has you in her life, for sure.

I was responding to those who seem to think that grandchildren would be a nuisance in The Villages.........while visiting their grandparents for the 30 days. I don't believe it would be thirty days straight.

How would you manage to live in The Villages with your 7 year old grandaughter? One of the family friendly villages near the charter school?

Good luck and God Bless.

p.s. Not knowing your age.......many younger grandparents are quite able to "keep up" with the grandkids. It all depends on your age of course, as far as raising them. I was referring to our particular age......pushing 70.

Thank you for your kind words. I am in my late 50's and my husband is in his early 60's. We have been raising her since she was 3, but she is near the point of being able to returned to her mother who has made great strides in the last 3 years. Our hope is that by the time that we become permanent residents when I retire in 2 years that they will be settled and we we will be able to enjoy "our time". :icon_wink:.

I love little ones a lot. I was a kindergarten teacher. Most people I know look forward to the visits of their friends grandchildren and I most certainly do. I keep a cache of coloring books and crayons and little thingys that kids like so that I will have a little something for our friends grandchildren who are small when they visit their grandparents and their grandparents bring them to see us, who truly enjoy them. Some of the people who post on here will tell you that I have done portraits of their little ones. Both of our grandchildren are now over 20 but I still speak "childrenese" and often say that the only people who TRULY like me are little kids, old men and drunks.

But..like many other people who like children, I am enjoying living in an age restricted community. It is very nice and very peaceful and not worrisome and so beautifully quiet during concerts at Church on the square..