Help I'm facing court for my children

[samesh1tdifferentday]

I have had 3 years of hell from deciding to leave ex.h to fighting for our home.( which I kept) to now my dh has got a new home and simply announced that the children weren't coming home Sunday. He has stated he is having them 50/50.
I understand this can work in some situations but I have 4dcs of different ages and they have been thrust together with his new girlfriends children. She has 2 dcs who are clearly unsettled with the situation. ( they fight and kick off regularly)
Their new house is cold too and not yet furnished. I feel helpless as my exh simply won't communicate at all with me. It has broken down to zero communication.so much so things are being missed and causing issues. My daughter took too much medication as exh didn't tell me what she was prescribed. Forgotten school books leading to detention.my youngest is 6 and too little to be without me for that long. Exh will not let me separate the children at all and have individual needs.my worry is my alcohol use in the past I'm on a waiting list for therapy and intend to be abstinent by the time I reach court. My children have never been harmed and I want the future to be better. I have drank heavily whilst things have been tough and am not drinking at all at the moment when I have the children.has anyone been through this I've been a good Mum but a tough few years. If I let him dictate their future when he has hardly been around is killing me. They seem ok but it's early days and I feel if I don't fight for them they'll never forgive me when they are older.

Have you applied to the court? Have you seen them since Sunday?

I had them back for 2 nights and he had them again😳

Why did you give them back?

I don't want a fight in front of them and he's got them saying " we want to see Dad 50/50"

My husband wanted the children aged 3 and 4 50% of the time. What has to be considered is whats in the best interest of the children the % is less important.

He took me to court which i was terrified about. But i had a good solicitor and he represented himself. He clearly hadn't really considered the impact on the children and because of this i won the court case (if thats what you can call it!!) He sees the children regularly but its not 50%, the children live with me and i have a residency order. Personally he did me a huge favour taking me to court as its really eased the pressure off as he carnt just turn up and take them. Its more in the finer detail rather than you both have equal responsibility. Eg who have they lived with so far, is he able to communicate with you etc et. Feel free to pm me.

whatiwishfor could I pm you please?
My ex has said he wants 50/50 and I don’t believe it is right for the children at all...

Of course you can.

Court was a godsend for me as although terrifying, it cleared everything up. You need to get everything organised. Court seemed to go a lot on precedent so I wouldn't start changing the pattern before it's formally agreed (whether that's between the two of yoU, mediation or court)