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Wed 23 Apr, 2014 02:59 pm
I am heading to court next week, April 30, to change the parenting plan that was set in place in 2008 for our now 8-year-old son. His father wants to take our son to Canada (we live in the US) to a couple different racetracks. Their living arrangement would be a tack room in his horse trailer that has cupboards, microwave, refrigerator, TV, electricity and a mattress that they'll be sleeping on together. There is no water, no sink, no toilet, no shower, no stove or oven. He's calling it a living quarters; I am not. Father wants him for the first 4 weeks of summer vaca and the last 4 weeks. I am not opposed to his father having him for an amount of time IF he wasn't working at the racetrack, IF he had proper living quarters, IF he had someone to watch my child and IF he was in the US. The past 3 plus years father hasn't followed the parenting plan so it definitely needs to be changed. The father has no necessities for the child (toothbrush, toothpaste, clothing, etc.) and has no rules on bedtime, hygiene, brushing teeth, etc. During the off season father lives with his dad and his dad's wife (yes, father is almost 50 years old). Father sees the child almost every other weekend during the off season but again provides no structure, chores, bedtime, rules for the child. Child sleeps with father at his father's dad's home. Just wondering if anyone out there has any advice of what to say in court regarding this situation.
@Cathie22,
Let Dad have the kid. This is summer vacation and the accommodations aren't that much different than a summer camp. Seriously, what is the fear? That your son will suddenly develop a taste for loud plaids, cheap cigar and race track touts?
I'd agree with Bob except for the bathroom thing. Clearly there HAS to be facilities there for everyone who is living like this. Dad must be able to answer this and assure you that the kids will have toilet facilities.
Just remind "dad" that you will castrate him is any harm comes to the boy.
Give the boy a phone so he can call you about every 3-4 days.
See if he really likes the first 4 weeks and make the last 4 weeks his choice of whether or not he wants to go again.
@Cathie22,
I'm not greatly concerned about the living accommodations, but on the off chance that it really doesn't work out, is the father going to be able to interrupt his travels on the racing circuit? Also, I'm reasonably sure the decree includes not being able to remove the child from the state, to say nothing of leaving the country. These things might be worth a mention in court.
@roger,
In my misspent youth I came to know the horse world. There are nice enough showers and toilets at all horse events - racing, polo, rodeo, hunt.
No leaving the country. Period. The son gets to go home when the son wants to go home after one week.
Dad has been involved with his son regularly and has a job in an honorable profession. He takes care of valuable big animals - horses who can die for the dumbest of reasons. He gets a chance.
What a great memory - doing some horse circuit and living just him and dad and the horses and the show. Too great of a thing to waste.
Dad gets a chance.
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