Has anyone hired a private eye?

[stepmom74]

I'm not sure of what letters your talking about writing.  We have kept a journal for the last 3 months about the situation and the whereabouts of my SD and it doesn't look good for the BM.  She hasn't spend one weekend with her since school was out for the summer.  It has been us, BM's parents, BM's sister, or her ex-husband.  That's the one that really gets me.  Why should he spend more time with my SD than her BF does?  Why would a judge think that's ok.  She stays with him everyday from 9-3.  I understand my husband works then too but I'm at least her stepmom, not her ex-stepmom.

Anyway, right now it's more than just her not being with her daughter that's the problem.  She's had problems for the last 3 years.  We finally convinced her BM to take her to counseling and that she has ADHD.  I think it's pretty ridiculous when I have to tell her mom what her daughter's problems are.  She can't say we don't spend enough time with her.  I know her better that her mom does.  Sad, isn't it.  

Well, anyway, tonight my husband received a very nasty letter from my SD saying she doesn't want to do what he says and she won't come to our house.  If he makes her, she wrote that she would just be a brat and lock herself in her room.  She also wrote that he is not supposed to call her anymore because she won't talk to him.  We have never had any problems with her not wanting to come and see us until this summer.  My husband faxed the letter to her counselor tonight (she was counseling his daughter at the time) and she called him back after their session.  The counselor says she needs to go to another therapist because she has more problems than she can help her with.  

I think that alone should be enough reason for a judge to give us a chance to try to help her.  Every year she spends with her mother, the worse she's getting.  Do you think extensive counseling, bad grades in school, and lack of discipline and attention would be enough to change custody.  For her emotional state, I would hope so.  She's a happy kid at our house.

Stepmom

[roc]

Find a better lawyer and go for it. You are right, and she is wrong. there has to be some good out there in this world