Rethorical question:
Scenario: Shared physical custody, on a week-to-week basis.
The child hates the arrangement, and has told one of the parents (A) so for the last 3 years, and wants to come live full-time with this parent A.
The child has told the other parent (B) only once. The response was: "If I hear you repeat that one more time, I'll kick your a$$ like never before."
In addition, the child reports frequent verbal and mental abuse by parent B, and infrequent physical abuse. Never any marks though, so nothing to report.
Note: Parent B believes that children in GA are allowed to choose at age 12, which in reality is the case in only few custody disputes.
Now the child is 11 (almost 12), and - during one of the following transfers from parent B to A - wants to tell parent B that he wants to live with parent A full time.
The child however is very scared about having to return to parent B a week later.
What would you do?
- Call for an emergency hearing? I don't believe there are enough grounds for that.
- Call the guardian, either before or after telling parent B? Guardian is not a favorable person, but has the duty to protect the child, and has failed to do so in the past.
- Do nothing, and hope parent B won't hurt the child, after having a week to "cool off"?
- Have parent A call parent B the next day, get a feel for the mood, and see how parent B wants to handle this?
Any other suggestions?
What would you do?
Scenario: Shared physical custody, on a week-to-week basis.
The child hates the arrangement, and has told one of the parents (A) so for the last 3 years, and wants to come live full-time with this parent A.
The child has told the other parent (B) only once. The response was: "If I hear you repeat that one more time, I'll kick your a$$ like never before."
In addition, the child reports frequent verbal and mental abuse by parent B, and infrequent physical abuse. Never any marks though, so nothing to report.
Note: Parent B believes that children in GA are allowed to choose at age 12, which in reality is the case in only few custody disputes.
Now the child is 11 (almost 12), and - during one of the following transfers from parent B to A - wants to tell parent B that he wants to live with parent A full time.
The child however is very scared about having to return to parent B a week later.
What would you do?
- Call for an emergency hearing? I don't believe there are enough grounds for that.
- Call the guardian, either before or after telling parent B? Guardian is not a favorable person, but has the duty to protect the child, and has failed to do so in the past.
- Do nothing, and hope parent B won't hurt the child, after having a week to "cool off"?
- Have parent A call parent B the next day, get a feel for the mood, and see how parent B wants to handle this?
Any other suggestions?
What would you do?