Not sure what to do

[osmosis]

What is the name of your state? FL

Meat-n-taters version:

Ex-wife has custody of our 3 children. We went to court in May for a custody hearing, as she was working full time night shift as a prison guard while the 3 children spent all of their non-school hours (4pm-8am) at the baby sitter's house. (excluding their every other weekend with me) The motion for change in custody was denied, as their mother was expecting her work hours to change at the end of summer vacation.

During this hearing I brought up the fact that the 3 children, their Mother & step Father all live in a 2 bedroom single wide mobile home. Since then our daughter has taken over the master bedroom while their mom & stepdad sleep on the fold out couch in the living room.

Since this hearing, their mother has given birth to another child (with her new hubby). They are STILL living in the 2 bedroom single wide with the same sleeping arrangements. Only now, the baby sleeps in a DRESSER DRAWER on the floor in the living room.

They have sufficient income (roughly $6,000 per month, plus the $800 I pay per month in child support) and there is no real reason why they should continue living in this manner (other than stepdad owns the trailer & property and won't sell/upgrade/add rooms/etc.)

My question is, do I contact child protective services about the living arrangement? If I take it to court, I won't have the opportunity to be heard until January.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? FL

Meat-n-taters version:

Ex-wife has custody of our 3 children. We went to court in May for a custody hearing, as she was working full time night shift as a prison guard while the 3 children spent all of their non-school hours (4pm-8am) at the baby sitter's house. (excluding their every other weekend with me) The motion for change in custody was denied, as their mother was expecting her work hours to change at the end of summer vacation.

During this hearing I brought up the fact that the 3 children, their Mother & step Father all live in a 2 bedroom single wide mobile home. Since then our daughter has taken over the master bedroom while their mom & stepdad sleep on the fold out couch in the living room.

Since this hearing, their mother has given birth to another child (with her new hubby). They are STILL living in the 2 bedroom single wide with the same sleeping arrangements. Only now, the baby sleeps in a DRESSER DRAWER on the floor in the living room.

They have sufficient income (roughly $6,000 per month, plus the $800 I pay per month in child support) and there is no real reason why they should continue living in this manner (other than stepdad owns the trailer & property and won't sell/upgrade/add rooms/etc.)

My question is, do I contact child protective services about this? If I take it to court, I won't have the opportunity to be heard until January.

Q: My question is, do I contact child protective services about this?

A: About what?

 

[osmosis]

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess that would have been more helpful.

I edited the post above, but the question is if I should call CPS about the living arrangements?

Mom & stepdad sleep in the living room, 2 boys share one bedroom, daughter has the master bedroom with no door on it, baby sleeps on the living room floor in an old dresser drawer, etc.

I don't want to be petty. The children are coming to me looking for assistance.

 

[moburkes]

Ya know, when my parents were growing up (not me, my parents ), there were 13 kids (mom's side) in a 3 bedroom house. My dad's family lived in smaller quarters.

My nephew slept in the laundry basket when he was at my house for the 3 weekends out of 4 that I babysat him, for the first 5 months of his life.

 

[osmosis]

Ya know, when my parents were growing up (not me, my parents ), there were 13 kids (mom's side) in a 3 bedroom house. My dad's family lived in smaller quarters.

My nephew slept in the laundry basket when he was at my house for the 3 weekends out of 4 that I babysat him, for the first 5 months of his life.

My Father was #12 of 13 kids and they all grew up in a 1 bedroom log cabin, so I can relate.

As per the court, the children are to have adequate accommodations. The baby is a month old (as of today) and the drawer is his only bed.

 

[Just Blue]

Thanks for pointing that out. I guess that would have been more helpful.

I edited the post above, but the question is if I should call CPS about the living arrangements?

Mom & stepdad sleep in the living room, 2 boys share one bedroom, daughter has the master bedroom with no door on it, baby sleeps on the living room floor in an old dresser drawer, etc.

I don't want to be petty. The children are coming to me looking for assistance.

Ozzi..You know how I feel about your ex.......But I don't think this is something that CPS would investigate.

 

[osmosis]

Just checking it out. I didn't want to stir up trouble in their home if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I guess I'll just step back again and see what happens.

Karma is kicking her ass hard, by the way! Thanks Bay. Always a pleasure.

 

[Silverplum]

As per the court, the children are to have adequate accommodations. The baby is a month old (as of today) and the drawer is his only bed.

The court order covers YOUR children, not the new baby she had with newguy. So the court is not concerned about that baby...yet. And neither should you be, legally.

Actually, I guess Mom HAS complied because she and SD gave the master bedroom to your daughter.

 

[osmosis]

The court order covers YOUR children, not the new baby she had with newguy. So the court is not concerned about that baby...yet. And neither should you be, legally.

Actually, I guess Mom HAS complied because she and SD gave the master bedroom to your daughter.

Truthfully the judge told Mom to get a bigger home, but it was verbally and not in any of the resulting court documents. This was her compromise.

 

[Just Blue]

Truthfully the judge told Mom to get a bigger home, but it was verbally and not in any of the resulting court documents. This was her compromise.

Didn't she do that AFTER she was posting here and half of the forum was outraged that your daughter was sharing a bed with two brothers?

 

[osmosis]

Yes, CPS went out to investigate it during the time she was flaunting it on this board and according to her testimony they told her that she needed to put our daughter in the master bedroom and have the parents take the couch. The judge said she needed a bigger home, but the only paperwork received from the custody hearing were the denials of the motions.

 

[CJane]

Hrmmmm.... not sure of the ages of the children, but I have 3 kids aged 10 (girl), 7 (girl) and almost 2 (boy) and live in a 2 bedroom apartment. I HAVE been investigated by CPS and they had no issues at all w/the living arrangements (all 3 kids in one room).

Nor did the GAL have an issue w/the arrangements during the custody trial when Asshat and me and the baby and the girls all lived in a 2 bedroom single-wide.

At that time, the girls shared a bed as well (their choice).

I think you have PLENTY of things going on right now w/out worrying about this.

 

[osmosis]

Thanks for the input, CJane.

Yeah, I'm dropping the issue. It's not worth my time or effort, truthfully. I'm just going to keep paying my child support, seeing my children when I am allowed, and being the best Dad I can be.

For the record, our daughter is 11, our sons are 7 and 5 and her baby is a month old. At one point she had the 3 older children all sleeping in the same bed, but CPS came out and made her rearrange them so that our daughter has her own room. I personally don't have a problem with people who have no other choice but to make due with what they have, it is just *her* and the fact that she refuses to act in the best interests of the children.

At any rate, thank you for your responses. I'll save the drama for something worth a damn.