Exercising Visitation/Parenting Time
If you have a schedule for child visitation, it is not necessary to confirm your scheduled visitation with the custodial parent. You go to the designated place at the designated time and pick up your children. If you do not go because the custodial parent did not respond to your text, email or telephone call to pick them up, it’s on you. If you do not go because the custodial parent told you not to, it’s on you. If you then go to court claiming the other parent does not permit your visitation, the custodial parent can simply claim you do not come to pick them up. The custodial parent too often then tells the children that you do not want to see them because you just do not show up. Make sure the children know you want to see them.
If you are concerned the custodial parent will make false claims to call the police if you just show up, bring a witness with you and make sure you have a copy of the visitation order and or stipulation with you to show the police. If you show up and the custodial parent does not let the children out to see you, call the police and ask them to show up there to write a report that you are there and either no one is home or the custodial parent won’t let the children out. To go to the precinct and file a report does not prove anything.
On one hand it may not be good for the children to see the police at the house, but on the other hand how else can you prove it? Too often those claiming calling the police to arrive with the children there is not good for the children. Too often these same people will claim what proof do you have if you do not call the police to prove it? I believe these same people would rather you have no proof. In my opinion, it’s not you who called the police who harm the children, but the custodial parent who caused you to have to call the police who is at fault for police being there and the children being harmed by it if at all. Blame needs to be put in perspective and on the correct parent.
Bottom line, if you have a stipulation and or a court order for visitation with a specific schedule, exercise it and do not let anything get in the way or you have no one to blame but yourself.