Drop child off and mother is not home..what do I do?

[l_x]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I am to drop my son back to the mother on Sunday at 6pm. Majority of the time when I drop my son off, the mother is not home. I will leave my son with the grandparents (mother lives with her parents). When we get to the house, my son won't go in unless the mother is home. Sometimes, I'll tell my son that his mother is not home but his grandparents are home and I'll leave him witih them and his mother will be home soon. Sometimes, I'll call the mother to come home and we'll wait for her. We usually wait for about 30mins for the mother. I always arrive about 5:50pm or sometimes right at 6pm. The mother does not work on the weekends.

My question is, what do I do when I get to the house and no one is home? How long do I have to wait? Should I call the mother before we go to the house? (She know what time I drop my son off).

 

[ecmst12]

How old is he?

 

[l_x]

6 year old.

 

[BL]

You'd wait about 20-30 minutes ,return home with the child and instruct the mother she can now pick up the child there . You may even want to called local law enforcement to confirm no one is home and document it in case mom says there was someone there .

 

[justalayman]

=l_x;2517195]

My question is, what do I do when I get to the house and no one is home?

is there some specific time in the court order to return the child? If so, I would suggest calling mom. If no answer, wait a reasonable amount of time (maybe 1/2 hour) and then leave a note that your were there and return home with the child. If no specific time; that would depend on your arrangement with mom.

How long do I have to wait?

how the child custody and visitation order is worded would make a difference.

Should I call the mother before we go to the house? (She know what time I drop my son off).

If you are running into this regularly, I know I would. If you do is up to you.

 

[l_x]

is there some specific time in the court order to return the child? If so, I would suggest calling mom. If no answer, wait a reasonable amount of time (maybe 1/2 hour) and then leave a note that your were there and return home with the child. If no specific time; that would depend on your arrangement with mom.

how the child custody and visitation order is worded would make a difference.

If you are running into this regularly, I know I would. If you do is up to you.

The order just state that I get to keep my child until Sunday 6pm. So, I always drop my son off by 5:50pm/6pm. If I take my son back home, the mother will never pick him up. We live 45mins away from each other. So, my best option is to call her before I go?

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Is there a competent adult in the house when you get ready to drop off your son?

 

[BL]

Is there a competent adult in the house when you get ready to drop off your son?

The poster covered this in their first post.

My question is, what do I do when I get to the house and no one is home?

Which was answered .

Now they won't return home with the child if someone is not at home because mom won't come pick up there . They want to know should they call first ?

No ,you return the child as per court order .

If this becomes an issue of Mom or nobody competent at home to be left with ,take the issue back to court whereas Mom both picks and drops off.

 

[l_x]

The poster covered this in their first post.



Which was answered .

Now they won't return home with the child if someone is not at home because mom won't come pick up there . They want to know should they call first ?

No ,you return the child as per court order .

If this becomes an issue of Mom or nobody competent at home to be left with ,take the issue back to court whereas Mom both picks and drops off.

Thank you for your response.

 

[l_x]

You'd wait about 20-30 minutes ,return home with the child and instruct the mother she can now pick up the child there . You may even want to called local law enforcement to confirm no one is home and document it in case mom says there was someone there .

I never thought about calling law enforcement before. This will help when I take this issue back to court.

 

[LdiJ]

There is a big difference between no one being at home and the grandparents being at home.

If no one is at home at all, then of course dad should wait a reasonable amount of time...no more than 15 minutes in my opinion..but if the grandparents or any other responsible adults are home then dad should simply drop off the child.

 

[BL]

There is a big difference between no one being at home and the grandparents being at home.
If no one is at home at all, then of course dad should wait a reasonable amount of time...no more than 15 minutes in my opinion..but if the grandparents or any other responsible adults are home then dad should simply drop off the child.

My question is, what do I do when I get to the house and no one is home?

The question was pretty clear .

 

[MichaCA]

Wait a minute...on SUNDAYS you return the child around 5:30 but drop off is not until 6:00? Is mom being late or are you being early?

You need to drop off your child at the court ordered time, unless you and mom are able to make an outside arrangement. I would follow the advice already given, when there is no competent adult in the home to care for the child at 6:00. (personally, I agree with waiting only 15 minutes.)

If still an issue, give mom a heads up that you are no longer going to just sit around each time...you plan to be there at the scheduled time, and if she is not there, or has not called you with alternate plans (?) to warn you, (yes, I'd have her call ME if she's going to be late), then take child to your home.

 

[CJane]

The question was pretty clear .

Actually, the situation is NOT all that clear. It seems that even if the grandparents ARE there, OP chooses to call Mom and demand that SHE come home so that he can drop off the child.

OP? The child REFUSES to go inside the house EVEN IF the grandparents are home and Mom is not... and that's perfectly ok with you? And you then think it's ok to call Mom and demand that she get her hiney home right now?

IF NO ONE AT ALL is home, of course that's acceptable. But if there is ANYONE in the house who is competent to care for the child and you're just CHOOSING not to drop kiddo off because it's not the adult YOU PREFER, then you have issues.

 

[l_x]

Wait a minute...on SUNDAYS you return the child around 5:30 but drop off is not until 6:00? Is mom being late or are you being early?

You need to drop off your child at the court ordered time, unless you and mom are able to make an outside arrangement. I would follow the advice already given, when there is no competent adult in the home to care for the child at 6:00. (personally, I agree with waiting only 15 minutes.)

If still an issue, give mom a heads up that you are no longer going to just sit around each time...you plan to be there at the scheduled time, and if she is not there, or has not called you with alternate plans (?) to warn you, (yes, I'd have her call ME if she's going to be late), then take child to your home.

No, I usually get to the house by 5:50/6pm as per the court order (which is 6pm).