My son’s paternal grandparents were granted visitation rights after a failed custody attempt following his father’s death. This year, my son has been struggling in school due to undiagnosed learning disabilities. He’s now on an IEP, and I’ve been sending him to tutoring. He’s been lying about completing assignments, and last month, I set a clear deadline for him to raise his grades or face consequences. When he didn’t meet the deadline, I told him he couldn’t go to his grandparents for the weekend. However, he left anyway and refused to come home. The police said it was a civil matter, and I need to go to court on Monday. I’m feeling overwhelmed and just need to know what my options are.
I hope your son is in therapy to help him navigate these issues. It’s possible he’s trying to communicate something through his actions.
People are overreacting about the swearing. A parent raising their voice is not as huge of a deal as some think.
Maybe let the grandparents keep him for a bit and see how that goes? It sounds like he’s trying to express discomfort at home. Call your attorney.
You should consult a lawyer and consider filing for contempt against the grandparents. Also, supervise future visits.
Be honest with the court about your frustrations with your son’s education and behavior. Hopefully, the grandparents will support him in doing better.
You can’t take away court-ordered visitation as a punishment for your child. That could backfire legally for you.
Tell the truth in court and explain the background. You can’t violate a court order without consequences.
The police told you what to do—go to court on Monday and provide proof of what’s happening at school.
An emergency motion for contempt is a valid option. Just be upfront with everything to avoid negative repercussions.
Just tell the court that the grandparents are refusing to return your son. Make sure you provide all the context.
It’s clear that court-ordered visitation isn’t a privilege you can revoke. Ensure you comply with the order moving forward.
I’ve tried to engage the grandparents in my son’s education, but they dismiss the importance of schooling and think he’s fine. I want to work together, but they undermine my efforts.