What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? California
In 2002 my granddaughter who was 8 at the time told me that she just doesn't get any attention from her parents. They slept all weekend she would go in and ask them for breakfast one would get up and then go back to bed she would spend the whole day watching t.v. and when it got dark and she was hungry she go ask if she gets dinner tonight. When awake she was always watching t.v. in her room because they were always watching t.v. show she couldn't watch. She would eat alone in her bedroom every night. Her mom would a lot of times not get her for school so she missed quite a bit. Sometimes she would get dressed herself and wait and wait but mom wouldn't get up. My granddaughter doesn't know but we found out later they were also smoking marajuana at the time. During this time from about 4 years old to 8 she was always asking to come visit and I would go pick her up once a month until she went to school and keep her about a week. Then when school started I would take her every vacation which was a year round schedule so it would be about a month 3 times a year and christmas vacation.
Then in 2002 I got the opportunity to come and move about 20 minutes away. I figured I could get her involved in activities and just get involved in her life. Well the neighborhood was horrible there was helicopters over heard every night. A murder a few door down. I would keep her on weekends and wednesday nights to take her to church. Then in 2004 after seeing her at the school she went to for 3rd grade I got the idea that we could use my address and she could go to school near me which has a wonderful school system. Her parents said they couldn't manage to get her to school in the mornings so I was going to keep her during the week. I suggested they take her on weekends then. Every weekend they were too busy to come get her. So from June 2003 to November 2003 no calls or visits from either.
It was in November that her parents got a divorce. My daughter in law moved with a friend and hour and a half away and in almost 2 years she has taken her to vist perhaps 3 times and rarely calls. My son moved literally down the street. Yet he called maybe once a week and took her to dinner once a week sometimes he didn't come get her. In this time I have been able with the help of my daughter to give her a stable life. My daughter has gotten her into soccer, girlscouts, and she is playing the trumpet. She takes her to all soccer practices, girl scout meeting and trumpet practice. She goes on field trips with her.
Now here is the problem. My son met a new girl this last year. This girl met my granddaughter in December. Now he has moved in with her and wants my granddaughter to come live with them. My granddaughter has only had a visit with this woman 3 times. She barely knows her father even though she loves him she doesn't want to live with him. She doesn't mind visiting. She doesn't feel comfortable with them. What rights do a child who will be 11 in July have to say where she wants to live. At the very least you would think he would have her come visit on weekends to get to know both of them. She is not comfortable yet to even be herself with them. How does anyone even know how long they will be together? I just don't like this at all. I think it's completely unfair to expect her to embrass this situation because he feels like being the dad after 2 years. He wasn't even a good father the previous 8 years. Is there anything that can be done or does she have no rights? He can't stop saying he doesn't care if she doesn't want to go he is her father.
In 2002 my granddaughter who was 8 at the time told me that she just doesn't get any attention from her parents. They slept all weekend she would go in and ask them for breakfast one would get up and then go back to bed she would spend the whole day watching t.v. and when it got dark and she was hungry she go ask if she gets dinner tonight. When awake she was always watching t.v. in her room because they were always watching t.v. show she couldn't watch. She would eat alone in her bedroom every night. Her mom would a lot of times not get her for school so she missed quite a bit. Sometimes she would get dressed herself and wait and wait but mom wouldn't get up. My granddaughter doesn't know but we found out later they were also smoking marajuana at the time. During this time from about 4 years old to 8 she was always asking to come visit and I would go pick her up once a month until she went to school and keep her about a week. Then when school started I would take her every vacation which was a year round schedule so it would be about a month 3 times a year and christmas vacation.
Then in 2002 I got the opportunity to come and move about 20 minutes away. I figured I could get her involved in activities and just get involved in her life. Well the neighborhood was horrible there was helicopters over heard every night. A murder a few door down. I would keep her on weekends and wednesday nights to take her to church. Then in 2004 after seeing her at the school she went to for 3rd grade I got the idea that we could use my address and she could go to school near me which has a wonderful school system. Her parents said they couldn't manage to get her to school in the mornings so I was going to keep her during the week. I suggested they take her on weekends then. Every weekend they were too busy to come get her. So from June 2003 to November 2003 no calls or visits from either.
It was in November that her parents got a divorce. My daughter in law moved with a friend and hour and a half away and in almost 2 years she has taken her to vist perhaps 3 times and rarely calls. My son moved literally down the street. Yet he called maybe once a week and took her to dinner once a week sometimes he didn't come get her. In this time I have been able with the help of my daughter to give her a stable life. My daughter has gotten her into soccer, girlscouts, and she is playing the trumpet. She takes her to all soccer practices, girl scout meeting and trumpet practice. She goes on field trips with her.
Now here is the problem. My son met a new girl this last year. This girl met my granddaughter in December. Now he has moved in with her and wants my granddaughter to come live with them. My granddaughter has only had a visit with this woman 3 times. She barely knows her father even though she loves him she doesn't want to live with him. She doesn't mind visiting. She doesn't feel comfortable with them. What rights do a child who will be 11 in July have to say where she wants to live. At the very least you would think he would have her come visit on weekends to get to know both of them. She is not comfortable yet to even be herself with them. How does anyone even know how long they will be together? I just don't like this at all. I think it's completely unfair to expect her to embrass this situation because he feels like being the dad after 2 years. He wasn't even a good father the previous 8 years. Is there anything that can be done or does she have no rights? He can't stop saying he doesn't care if she doesn't want to go he is her father.