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Unjust custody situation

433 replies

Helloworldz87 · 24/01/2024 10:21

What would you do? Long story short. Move in with husband and his family. Naive. Didn't know how controlling they were going to get. Get pregnant early on in the relationship. My father promises to sell his vintage car if we ever need it. Later renegs it. Won't explain why. Gaslights me. After the baby is born. Get Post natal depression. Husband's parents kick us out. Husband loses his job xand I couldn't get work. My parents go overseas for months. My parents eventually get back. My in laws use the legal system against me and file for custody of my daughter. Husband begs me back. Many empty promises of getting custody of my daughter back. Move in with him (without in laws) Many empty promises of getting our daughter back. Marriage becomes financially, emotionally and physically abusive. Move back in with my parents and baby. I feel like such a fool. But don't get any answers as to why my father screwed us over? Apparently if CPS was involved in my daughter case, this would've never happened.

OP posts:
Helloworldz87 · 23/02/2024 10:14

HoppingPavlova · 23/02/2024 09:32

I’m a parent of adult kids, including a ND adult. I have answers for you, so you need to wonder no more. But yet, you will keep posting no doubt.

You were an adult (in late 20’s or 30’s I think?) when YOU chose to get married, and YOU chose to have a child in an unsuitable situation, and then seemingly did so again. Given this, your parents have ZERO obligation. That’s the first thing you need to process. You have not processed that.

I would think your parents HAVE given you answers though. I highly suspect you either can’t process or compute these answers though, so in your mind they have not been given. A bit like Harry’s ‘truth’ as opposed to reality in a way. Your father likely mused on the possibility of selling his car to assist, and then in working that through that rationally, realised that it was like stopping a dyke leak with his finger and realised it was pointless and wouldn’t change the ultimate outcome. I suspect this was conveyed but as it wasn’t aligned with your ‘wants’ you refused to take it in. I suspect many explanations have been given that you refuse to take in, which equates to your understanding of no one explaining.

You seem to think your sister is favoured. I don’t think ‘favoured’ is correct. It’s probably more correct to say your sister has not given your parents the same level of grief. She likely didn’t get married when it was unsuitable, pregnant (twice) when it was unsuitable, and hadn’t need to be bailed out constantly as an adult. That doesn’t mean she is favoured, just acknowledged as not being as problematic as yourself.

Re your in-laws, I suspect they knew exactly what shit-show was occurring and wanted to ‘save’ their grandchild. Not only from yourself, but also their own son. They didn’t destroy your marriage as such. They saved an innocent child who was not being looked after suitably (a court has agreed with this seemingly). If your marriage was a casualty of this, so be it. The important thing was the child. Not you. Not your marriage. It’s not about you at all at this point. You can’t understand this though. You refuse to understand.

As to your parents going on holiday, just stop. Of course parents with a child in their late 20’s/30’s/40’s should go on holidays. They don’t need to plan their lives around yours falling apart because of the choices YOU made. Don’t be so ridiculous. Their holidays ARE important, if you are like this as an adult then I imagine it was a lot worse when they DID have an obligation to you as a dependant so god knows they deserve holiday relief with you as an adult.

Then, you NEED to live at home (to support yourself seemingly, and retain custody of your second child). Your parents facilitate this, but don’t have to. If they are narcissistic, physically abusive, or just not to your liking - then move the fuck out, and this ceases to be an issue. The end.

There really is no more or less to it than that.

Then why make empty promises in the first place? Why lie? If he cared more than his obsession with being on holiday- it wouldn't have happened. Why not do the meetings? He went on and on about honesty-yet never was!! Its a complete cop out to continually lie and then not give any answers. My in laws are extremely manipulative. My mother in law threatened to kick us out and kill herself if I didn't keep the child. I didn't know what to do and counselling was unhelpful. They figured it out before I got to discuss it with my husband! True I had Post Natal Depression but destroying my family was hardly a deserved solution. With social workers I have worked very hard to get my second child.

OP posts:
ElderMillenials · 23/02/2024 10:26

Some really good insights from @HoppingPavlova but again OP comes back with BuT tHeY lIeD.

It's not helpful, or useful. Whatever happened in the past is completely irrelevant and won't change anything. There are so many replies telling you this, move on and take responsibility for yourself and your children. The services are there for you to access.
Move out of your parents house if you hate them so much.

The fact you had to work hard to keep the second dc tells us there is more to the first dcs custody situation than you've admitted here or understand. Children aren't removed from parents arbitrarily so it's up to you now to work on yourself and be a parent.

The oldest dc is 10? Uprooting from everything she's ever known could be genuinely damaging, but you can build a relationship and still be a mother without custody. That won't happen while your blaming everyone else and ranting about things that happened a decade ago.

CraftyTaupeOtter · 23/02/2024 21:38

Your father is allowed to go on holiday as often as he wants. His children are grown. He doesn't need your permission and isn't accountable to you for going on holiday as and when he chooses.

Helloworldz87 · 23/02/2024 23:34

ElderMillenials · 23/02/2024 10:26

Some really good insights from @HoppingPavlova but again OP comes back with BuT tHeY lIeD.

It's not helpful, or useful. Whatever happened in the past is completely irrelevant and won't change anything. There are so many replies telling you this, move on and take responsibility for yourself and your children. The services are there for you to access.
Move out of your parents house if you hate them so much.

The fact you had to work hard to keep the second dc tells us there is more to the first dcs custody situation than you've admitted here or understand. Children aren't removed from parents arbitrarily so it's up to you now to work on yourself and be a parent.

The oldest dc is 10? Uprooting from everything she's ever known could be genuinely damaging, but you can build a relationship and still be a mother without custody. That won't happen while your blaming everyone else and ranting about things that happened a decade ago.

Just because the courts have them custody doesn't make it right. My family has been destroyed all for nothing!! My current social workers have said what they did was family violence. They said Child Protection should've been involved and we should've been given social workers. My family and marriage destroyed just for nothing

OP posts:
Helloworldz87 · 23/02/2024 23:35

CraftyTaupeOtter · 23/02/2024 21:38

Your father is allowed to go on holiday as often as he wants. His children are grown. He doesn't need your permission and isn't accountable to you for going on holiday as and when he chooses.

And I don't see why I should be guilt tripped into helping them out later on. My dad only cares about himself and his obsession with holidays

OP posts:
Wadermellone · 24/02/2024 00:33

Ah now you have a social worker? Who knows all the ins and outs of the case they are making statements of blame? That’s helpful.

seafoamgreenhair · 24/02/2024 00:34

And absolutely none of it your fault then and absolutely none of it your responsibility now, still. Nothing in your life will change until you begin to practice some accountability. And certainly the past won't magically change by you complaining about it endlessly on here.

CraftyTaupeOtter · 24/02/2024 02:13

Helloworldz87 · 23/02/2024 23:35

And I don't see why I should be guilt tripped into helping them out later on. My dad only cares about himself and his obsession with holidays

You don't have to help them out later on. The evidence suggests your father doesn't care just about himself, or he wouldn't have opened his home to you and your child living with him. That counts for a lot.

Good on him for going on holidays when and where he wants. Do you think he should be living his life all focused on his grown up children forever?

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 03:39

flea101 · 08/02/2024 06:19

You are focussing on the wrong thing here! Surely your daughters best interests are what is most important, not your dads car, your in laws, your parents expecting you to care for them. If you don't want to care for them when they are older then don't! The court would have had to have very good evidence to remove a child. Speaking from experience when I had my son I had post partum psychosis, we spent months in a mother and baby unit, then years with social work input and family support. I have a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, even during my darkest times my son came first and always will. My family all got involved in various ways, in laws took son in when I was ill and husband was trying to keep a roof over our heads! My parents supported me and the baby. This in fighting isn't good for anyone. You need to let go of the past and focus on building that relationship again with your daughter. It seems anyone has any suggestions you have an excuse as to why it won't work, time for you to take responsibility!

That's only because you had a social worker. I didn't have anyone!! And I didn't have help from my parents

OP posts:
Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 03:41

You still haven't explained why my in laws threatened to kick us out and suicide if we didn't keep my daughter. They realised straight away and therefore didn't get to even discuss it with my husband

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 24/02/2024 03:47

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 03:39

That's only because you had a social worker. I didn't have anyone!! And I didn't have help from my parents

Bit you have a social worker you said didn't you?

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 04:01

WandaWonder · 24/02/2024 03:47

Bit you have a social worker you said didn't you?

Only the second child

OP posts:
flea101 · 24/02/2024 05:41

You had professionals involved with first child, you would have had to if it went to court to remove her from your care. Stop making excuses and take responsibility, it doesn't matter if your father goes on holiday! If you don't want to look after him don't (selfish though after all he has done for you). Lots of people on here have offered you sound constructive advice and you just counter back with why that won't work, why it doesn't apply etc. take some blame and grow up.

CraftyTaupeOtter · 24/02/2024 05:45

OP, the only thing you can do is stop living in the past and move forward to build your best life. All this sitting and dwelling and resenting won't help you parent the child you have in your care, it won't help build a bond with your first child, it won't undo anything. It can only stop things getting better for you. You should find a professional to talk to about all these issues, so you can work through them.

Wadermellone · 24/02/2024 07:32

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 03:41

You still haven't explained why my in laws threatened to kick us out and suicide if we didn't keep my daughter. They realised straight away and therefore didn't get to even discuss it with my husband

Why would anyone here need to explain. You and your ex husband are clearly chaotic. Whatever the reason is. It doesn’t really matter why you couldn’t care for your child. Whether it was pnd, autism, poor mental health. The fact is that couldn’t. Proved by you leaving your child there when you left. You even felt it was the correct decisions at the time.

How long between leaving and in laws going to custody?

Lots of people have helped you. Your in laws opened their home to you. You decided to leave your child with them when you left. They have raised your daughter because you weren’t able to.

Your parents have helped you. They opened their home to you again. And put up with your constant blame of them for all your problems. Including not letting you grow up. But also for stepping back and letting you live your life. I also suspect the only reason you have care of your second child is because you live with your parents. Which is why you don’t move out.

Your SW absolutely wouldn’t not be making a judgment on the legality of the first child’s custody. Again I suspect you either refused to work with child services or they couldn’t locate you so only assessed your in laws.

Neodymium · 24/02/2024 10:04

Your dad probably expects you to help him out as you are living, probably rent free, in his house. And based on this thread you have a massive chip on your shoulder and probably aren’t very pleasant to live with.

your in laws are probably not very nice people. But you can’t do anything about that unfortunately. You can’t change what happened. It sounds like you made poor choices and now are looking for a way to make it someone else’s fault.

effoffwind · 24/02/2024 12:56

OP - you are right
We are all talking rubbish

I suggest you stand on your own 2 feet - do your own thing , support yourself and your child , be a good parent
Demonstrate to your in laws and daughter that you are a stable influence worthy of her returning to you

You are correct . Your dad is an arse - so do nothing for him and move on

There , sorted

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 20:26

Wadermellone · 24/02/2024 07:32

Why would anyone here need to explain. You and your ex husband are clearly chaotic. Whatever the reason is. It doesn’t really matter why you couldn’t care for your child. Whether it was pnd, autism, poor mental health. The fact is that couldn’t. Proved by you leaving your child there when you left. You even felt it was the correct decisions at the time.

How long between leaving and in laws going to custody?

Lots of people have helped you. Your in laws opened their home to you. You decided to leave your child with them when you left. They have raised your daughter because you weren’t able to.

Your parents have helped you. They opened their home to you again. And put up with your constant blame of them for all your problems. Including not letting you grow up. But also for stepping back and letting you live your life. I also suspect the only reason you have care of your second child is because you live with your parents. Which is why you don’t move out.

Your SW absolutely wouldn’t not be making a judgment on the legality of the first child’s custody. Again I suspect you either refused to work with child services or they couldn’t locate you so only assessed your in laws.

I never refused child services. They weren't involved. I wish everyday they were.

OP posts:
Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 20:27

Neodymium · 24/02/2024 10:04

Your dad probably expects you to help him out as you are living, probably rent free, in his house. And based on this thread you have a massive chip on your shoulder and probably aren’t very pleasant to live with.

your in laws are probably not very nice people. But you can’t do anything about that unfortunately. You can’t change what happened. It sounds like you made poor choices and now are looking for a way to make it someone else’s fault.

My dad's the one who is completely unpleasant to live with.

OP posts:
NotStylishOrBeautiful · 24/02/2024 20:28

So move out. Simples.

Neodymium · 24/02/2024 20:45

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 20:27

My dad's the one who is completely unpleasant to live with.

So why stay there? Move out. Take your second child and leave? you haven’t said why that’s not an option. Is it money? Do you have a job? If not, go get a job. Arrange care for your child.

think about what your children will say about you in the future, especially your oldest. You think that she will agree that you are completely absolved of responsibility and everything in her life is because grandpa didn’t sell a vintage car and went on holiday?

everything that has happened you can’t change. You just have to accept it and move on and do your best to improve your situation. Regardless of if your father lied, or your in laws lied, what’s done is done. Focus on your kids instead of being angry.

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 21:09

Neodymium · 24/02/2024 20:45

So why stay there? Move out. Take your second child and leave? you haven’t said why that’s not an option. Is it money? Do you have a job? If not, go get a job. Arrange care for your child.

think about what your children will say about you in the future, especially your oldest. You think that she will agree that you are completely absolved of responsibility and everything in her life is because grandpa didn’t sell a vintage car and went on holiday?

everything that has happened you can’t change. You just have to accept it and move on and do your best to improve your situation. Regardless of if your father lied, or your in laws lied, what’s done is done. Focus on your kids instead of being angry.

Easy for you to say. Its not your family destroyed all for nothing

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 24/02/2024 21:24

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 21:09

Easy for you to say. Its not your family destroyed all for nothing

Doesn't stop you moving out. No matter how many excuses you come up with you are a professional victim

Wadermellone · 24/02/2024 22:12

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 20:26

I never refused child services. They weren't involved. I wish everyday they were.

So you say.

But there’s been tons of inconsistencies in your story.

If you didn’t directly refuse, chances are they couldn’t locate you. They will have been involved with your in laws.

I take it you need to live at your parents to ensure your youngest stays with you? If not move out. your parents have been financially supporting your for quite a while. Stop taking and stand on your own two feet. You say you have support now.

I also take it was quite a while between you leaving your child with your in laws and them getting custody.

They will have needed custody to be effective care givers.

Your in laws, the court or your parents didn’t destroy your family.

Wadermellone · 24/02/2024 22:13

Helloworldz87 · 24/02/2024 21:09

Easy for you to say. Its not your family destroyed all for nothing

That’s entirely irrelevant to you living with your parents.

You should never have moved in. So move out.