If you have been through the court system once, you want to believe that your schedule will work out for both you and your ex-spouse. But what happens when one parent does not follow the visitation schedule you two agreed to? If you are the custodial parent, you are probably already aware that it is your duty to encourage visitation and assist with it as necessary, but you may also know that it can be a challenge to work with a parent that does not make their scheduled visits.
No-Shows and Those Who do Not Adhere to the Schedule
Let’s say that the parent does not show up to visitation on a regular basis – you may wonder if, every time, you should have your child ready even though there is a chance that they will be vastly disappointed. If you no longer make your child readily available, you may wonder if you will get in trouble or be in contempt of your order. If the parent is missing visitation every week, it is in the child’s best interest to stop getting them ready at these scheduled times. Instead, you should contact the parent and let them know that they should get in contact with you a day before visitation and let you know for sure if they will be there. If you end up in court over these matters, simply show a calendar that shows visitation times and when they missed them.
In other cases, you may be dealing with a parent who does not adhere to the schedule. If a parent is coming way too late or frequently rescheduling, it may become a problem that interferes with your child’s life as well as your own. If you feel like you are being held hostage by your schedule, you no longer have to continue to be so flexible. Make it clear that you must adhere to the schedule that you agreed on or else there will be no make-ups or changes in the future. Sometimes you have done all you could to ensure that you have encouraged visitation, and you do not want to be taken advantage of.
It is important to set clear standards in regards to visitation. Visitation can sometimes be extremely complicated and it is in your best interest to speak to an attorney who understands custody laws and can help you in your desperate time of need. Call us today if you are having visitation issues and want to speak to us today.
