Interesting Situation (Tried to be short in description) HELP!

[oklahoma]

Just scanned your proposed parenting plan, and I think you are being more than fair... maybe too much so....

We were unable to see my SDs for just over a year, trying the whole time to contact them and BM to work out issues.  Finally ended up in court.  Because it had been "so long" judge ordered graduated visitation plan: first three months we have them for 9 hours on Saturday; next three months we have them Saturday and Sunday; then we move onto every other weekend (Fri-Sun), 1/2 holidays, and a total of 2 weeks in the summer (previously it was ordered that we would have them 4 weeks.)  Although we were not overjoyed, we take what we can get from this judge--we would have jumped for joy to get a parenting plan like you set out.  I just think that after 6 years absence and some of the other issues, you may want to take things a little slower.  However, you know your children and what will be best for them.

[msme]

I saw no mention of counseling. If your kids aren't in counseling, they should be. They will tell the counselor what she has been doing & saying & then you can subpoena him to tell the court about the damage she is inflicting on them. You should probably go too. It shows maturity & good judgement to enlist professional help in dealing with difficult situations.

We have learned that the best way to choose a counselor for your kids is to call several school counselors & ask who they reccommend. You may get several names but one will show up more than the others. Remember cream rises to the top & the one that the school counselors feel most comfortable refering to, is usually the best.

By the way, I was not supprised about the divorce not being finalized. The same thing happened to my now daughter-in-law. She went to file for cs & they asked for a certified copy of her divorce. She produced a copy & they said they needed a certified copy. They told her not to worry, they would order it from the other state. A couple of days later they called her in & told her that she was still married for the last 5 years. Her presumed ex didn't pay the last of his attorneys fee & so she didn't finalize it with the court. After 6 months, it was dismissed for lack of action.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!