sphere wrote:
As anticipated, the behavior hasn’t stopped, just ebbs and flows. This past week he texted and accused her of lying and manipulating the kids (the details are irrelevant; both are complete fiction) and yesterday during pick up, after telling him to stop ripping up the grass and driveway when he comes—he does a K-turn and burnout in the grass for effect nearly every time—he called her crazy in front of the kids, before peeling out of the driveway again.
Recently she emailed him and said that the kids will be reachable by skype nightly, as per his request, and that all other communication between her and him will be via email, and that as long as he continues his belligerence he won’t have access to her phone via calling or texting. Naturally his response was, fuck you, you don’t make the rules. Nothing in the divorce or custody order specifically states that she must be reachable by phone or text at all times so I don’t think this runs afoul of her obligations, but I don’t know for certain. I’m not sure how to handle the ongoing pickup belligerence except to get a restraining order, which will complicate pick up and drop off more than it is already.
I hate to say it, but the answer is lawyers. Document, make sure she’s acting within advice from legal counsel, and when appropriate, she has the option to revisit his parental rights if necessary. Turnover of kids during visitation under supervision may be the best thing, but again, I suspect that’s a legal issue.
Sorry this is still going on, but unfortunately as you said, fairly predictable.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
