Hey guys, I previously posted this in LegalAdvice and there have been many changes. So, to give you some context, I’m located in Washington State and my stepchildren are 5, 8, and 14. The oldest, a 14-year-old girl, is struggling with her mom, who’s her custodial parent. She’s been refusing to get into the car to go home, saying she’s feeling depressed and alienated. It’s crazy because she feels like she’s just watching her younger siblings all day while her mom plays video games. We’ve tried everything to convince her to go, but she’s really upset and says she’ll fight us if she has to. The police told her they can’t force her to go, which I get, but it leaves us in a tough spot. We want to help her but don’t want to violate the parenting plan. Any thoughts on what we can do here? It’s just a really tough situation right now.
Wow, that sounds really tough. Have you thought about family therapy? It might help her talk things out.
Frida said:
Wow, that sounds really tough. Have you thought about family therapy? It might help her talk things out.
That’s a good idea. I think the mom needs to be on board for that though.
@Fifer
Yeah, that’s the problem. She’s not really open to it, unfortunately.
I can’t believe the police won’t do anything. It’s so frustrating! Have you tried speaking to a lawyer about this?
Bridget said:
I can’t believe the police won’t do anything. It’s so frustrating! Have you tried speaking to a lawyer about this?
We’re actually trying to find one, but it’s been tough. Everyone seems so busy.
@Amara
I get that. Maybe look for local legal aid services? They might have some resources.
That’s such a hard situation. I went through something similar. Have you thought about documenting everything?
Lennie said:
That’s such a hard situation. I went through something similar. Have you thought about documenting everything?
Yeah, we’re trying to keep track of everything. It’s just overwhelming with all the paperwork.
Honestly, this just shows how broken the system can be. I hope things get better for the kids.
Ulani said:
Honestly, this just shows how broken the system can be. I hope things get better for the kids.
Thanks, we’re trying our best. Just really hoping for some support soon.
I totally understand your frustration. If the kids are suffering, something needs to change.
Brinley said:
I totally understand your frustration. If the kids are suffering, something needs to change.
Exactly, and it feels like we’re just spinning our wheels. Really appreciate your support.