Support/Visitation issue

[CourtClerk]

So, I guess you don't make Junior go to school if he decides he doesn't want to, either....

And if you think 14yo's are capable of rational decision, you'd better think again.

No, we just raised children incapable going out into the world. We've failed at parenting.

 

[stealth2]

You guys are just nuts. Every time i try to get good sound advice i have to deal with people like you who assume you know me and my situation and you want to start with the name calling. If my son wants to live with his dad, he could! I tell him that its his choice all the time. What you are missing here is that he DOESN'T , thats the whole point. Did you not see that in my posts?
He tells his dad every time its time to go that he just doesn't want to go, he has his friends here , he never does anything when he goes there, etc....my son isn't a toddler, he is fully capable of making his own decisions and the decision is that he doesn't want to spend any MORE time than what he already does with his father. That is my issue here.

What you don't seem to understand is your son does NOT get to make that decision. Not legally. And your ex is attempting to make sure that he is not allowed to. I'm sorry, but enabling your 14yo to think that he gets to make adult decisions really isn't cool.

I can tell you that spending time with their Dad was not optional for my kids. And no, it had nothing to do with getting a break from them. I *hated* it, in fact. But not enough to allow them to decide what relationship they would have with their Dad. He made that choice for them in time. And it's a shame. Because I have no doubt that it will affect their respective relationships from here on out.

 

[LdiJ]

What you don't seem to understand is your son does NOT get to make that decision. Not legally. And your ex is attempting to make sure that he is not allowed to. I'm sorry, but enabling your 14yo to think that he gets to make adult decisions really isn't cool.

I can tell you that spending time with their Dad was not optional for my kids. And no, it had nothing to do with getting a break from them. I *hated* it, in fact. But not enough to allow them to decide what relationship they would have with their Dad. He made that choice for them in time. And it's a shame. Because I have no doubt that it will affect their respective relationships from here on out.

While I truly do not disagree with what you are saying, no one on this thread has talked about things from a purely legal standpoint.

From a legal standpoint, there really is not much chance that a non custodial parent would get MORE time with a teenager than what has been the status quo for the child's entire life, if both the custodial parent AND the child are opposed to that...or at least not more than "standard".

There is also little chance that a parent who is habitually traveling for work most of the week, at least three weeks a month, would get anything approaching 50/50.

Mom, I suggest that you get an attorney on board for this case if dad does actually file for more parenting time.