court date is around the corner

[Painter]

Hi Angel, I'm sorry your W is playing games with you and the children. She may be getting some advice from people at the shelter if she has told them that she is hiding from an abusive partner. However, if your L is any good, this will all come out in court. The judge is not going to look kindly at a woman playing games to keep the children from their father and other family during the holidays.

Do you have family that has normally spent time with your children? Have they approached your W to get to see them?

Did you discuss the parenting classes request and possible parental evaluation with your L? It can really go a long way to demonstrate to the judge that you are a reasonable person with the children's best interests in mind.

It is great to GAL and go out and have fun, but can I suggest that you maybe don't gamble (even with a limit and funds available) while W is going to do her best to make you look bad in court? I know it was probably a completely innocent past-time for you, but it's one of those things that can be twisted around.

Have you done anything to get child support calculated? I think another thing you can do to demonstrate your responsibility in court, is to get CS calculated based on 50/50 custody, add it up from the date W left, and set that aside in an account. That kind of thing might make the judge look at you very favorably.

If you are already supporting W and kids with a shared account so she has access to money, make sure you keep track of everything she has spent during the time she has been gone.

Christmas will be hard, I'm sure, but January 6th will be here before you know it. Spend the holidays with people who love you and care for you. Once court is over, you will hopefully be able to celebrate a belated Christmas with your girls, and the great thing is that they are too young to know the difference.

Best wishes!