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BoyMom7717's picture

Where to begin...

My husband has a 10 yr old daughter. Her mother is very controlling. For example, she has a phone and if she doesn't reply to her mom while she is with us then she loses her junk and calls cussing and screaming at her. That's only a tiny part of the problem. This past April they went to a child support hearing and switched it to 50/50. Just child support not the court order paperwork stuff. Well fast forward to August. Bio mom says she dont like how things are going cause she wants her to follow her rules even while she's at our house. So when school starts we were switching it back. I was under the impression that the joint custody was through the court not just child support so I told SD that she can't do that. Maybe I shouldn't have but SD was crying and I was just trying to reassure her. Well bio mom flips of course saying its whatever she says it is. Well we dont see SD for 4 months. She comes back in Dec first weekend was weird she was acting reserved. Well her next weekend comes around which she comes on Saturday cause her stepdads birthday. My husband allowed her to come Sat instead of Fri. Well on Sat her mom text and ask her daughter if she wanted to go to a Christmas get together at her families place. My husband said no cause it was his weekend and she had already come late. Well about an hour later SD walks right out the door. Husband is calling her name she ignores him and walks out and says mommy is here and closes the door runs to the car and gets in and they drive off. So husband text bio mom and says he said no to bring her back. She was supposed to stay til Christmas eve at 6. Well bio mom says she didn't know that husband said no but SD can make her own decisions if she wants to go she can. Husband was livid and calls the sheriff's office and one comes down. Well turnabout he was her cousin. Husband hands him the visitation agreement and he says it ain't signed by a judge so their ain't nothing he can do. He can't force her to come back. She doesn't come back. Hasn't been back. She came to the house and got her meds that she left cause she was sick and husband told bio mom a  SD that what happened that day wasn't right and bio mom said SD is going thru things. But that dont give her the right to walk out the house without a word and leave with mom or not. He told he he was done and can't do this no more. If it ain't one thing its another and hes tired of the fighting. Bio mom said once again she didn't know but why did she allow it? She made it seem like it was ok for her to just walk out. It upset me to see my husband upset when all SD had to do was listen to her father. But I feel like Bio mom said for her to leave cause if SD doesn't listen to her mother she literally loses it on her. She has to control every aspect of her life to the point of havi g a doc diagnose her with ADHD when we think she doesn't have it. She dont act like her mother says she does at her house. What should we do? He dont want to give up on her but hes tired of fighting. Then the paperwork he has is pretty much useless. Hes frustrated. He wants joint custody again. But he feels like hes fighting a losing battle. Bio mom has a case open on her with DSS. For domestic violence and abuse. We know of the fighting and SD has said stuff about bio mom being mean and hitting for no reason. But SD is protecting her mom tho. Wont tell them the truth. Like she is terrified of her mom. Idk what I'm asking but some advice or anything would be great. Thank in advance. 

tog redux's picture

Court. He needs to start in court and get a REAL court order.  Although, it probably won't stop his crazy ex from doing whatever she wants. So he probably is fighting a losing battle. Once the kid starts siding with the parent who has all the power (her), it's downhill from there.

Sorry, wish I had better advice, but this is not likely to get better. Family court enables mothers like this by refusing to enforce their own orders.

BoyMom7717's picture

I kinda figured that. He wont listen to me. I told him I'm over it. I used to talk to bio mom more than him. But when that stuff happened back in August I pulled away. I stopped talking to her altogether. Seems like nothing but drama with her and her using SD against him any way she can. I just feel bad for him. Thanks for answering tho. 

oatsnhoney's picture

Only thing he can do is court. Doesn’t sound like he can reason with BM.  Sounds like she does these things to SO on purpose. He should start a paper trail to track all this if he is going to try court. Communicate by email. sounds like the SD has been PAS’d. Can’t see a way out if he has no access to the child and is not motivated enough to go to court. BM won’t negotiate that’s clear. He’s in for a rough ride. And for you I’d suggest disengaging. From SD and BM. No contacting them.

BoyMom7717's picture

I think hes gonna try filling for joint custody.  He really wants a relationship with her but her mom wants it on her terms only which hes tired of. I have disengaged in August from both of them. When she wasn't here those 4 months their was no drama no stress but as soon as she comes back its drama and stress all over again. I just want peace and my husband to be happy. SD used to tell us she wanted to live with us and only see her mom every other weekend but now it's like she hates coming over and I know her mom has put stuff in her head. Its frustrating. 

oatsnhoney's picture

Courts need document proof. Things in writing. If he’s going to court, he needs to start communicating in email. Or get his hands on SDs phone and take photos of her Mom disrupting his visitation or encouraging her to leave. He should probably talk to his lawyer about a game plan. And also ask his lawyer why the new agreement wouldn’t work with the police. Maybe spend time reading the court forum. But that’s not you disengaging.. that’s you helping. Nothing quick about court. My DH was super stressed in those years.

BoyMom7717's picture

Next time she is here I'll get her phone and see if she has the text from that day. Her mom was texting back to back all morning. Wouldn't be surprised if she deleted them already just to cover her tracks. Your husband went for joint custody and it took years? 

oatsnhoney's picture

2 years or so of back and forth between lawyers from start to finish. To come to a custody agreement. Our first years together were spent paying off the huge legal bill.