Son's Dad keeping him to punish me.

[StrawberryDaiquiriPlease]

What would you do, if anything?

My son's father text me on Thursday (having just picked our son up from school) asking if I have booked any flights to go away at Christmas.

I told him yes, I have booked flights (we've discussed Christmas before and he said he doesn't celebrate it) and my family don't live in England. Yes, I realise I should have checked the dates with him, but I don't trust him.

Then he text me to say our son says, that I said he is an arsehole. I said in response, of course I didn't say that. (I don't think I ever used that word, maybe I said it... :S)

Now he says he is having our son all this weekend and next week to punish me.

I had planned to take DS to the cinema on Saturday and to see father christmas. When his Dad decided to pick DS up on my weekend I did not stop him, when DS says Dad has said X,Y,Z about you Mum, I simply tell him it does not matter.

Now I'm taking our son away for a nice Christmas, but he is saying he will pick up DS from school and there is nothing I can do since I will be at work and this is purely to punish me. He has done it before.

What would you do? I'm thinking I could just wait it out and see my DS next weekend, but maybe phone the school to ask someone if I can talk to DS on the phone since his Dad is blocking me? Or get someone there to tell him its ok. But I know when he comes back, all our routines will be messed up, DS will be confused, grumpy, upset. sad

What should I do? I've previously tried to seek help but I really don't know where to go for the help? The past 7 years I've been trying to work out what my rights are. Calling lawyers and asking for help with family law, doesn't seem to get me anywhere. I don't get responses to emails or phonecalls.

Take the day off work and pick him up early from school.
Hopefully someone who knows more will come along but I would advise the following
Get legal advice about getting a residence order (think its called something else now) you need to be more insistent with solicitors - they won't just ring back after random messages you may get a free half hour but really you probably need to make an appointment rather then wait for them to ring you back.
If you can't afford it I think you could self rep and get an emergency ex parts hearing to do this but you would have to file the papers and pay the court fee, you may be able to get a mackenzie friend to helps but they arent able to replace properl legal representation.
Has he got PR?

Yes both parents get PR these days.

You need to seek legal advice on this, an appointment is better than an email or a phone call. As far as I'm aware, you can not take him out of the country without his permission, you need a specific order from the court to do this if he's unwilling to consent. He will have parental responsibility as your child was born after 2004 (I think!!). You don't have to agree to contact this weekend unless it's part of a court order, so you're just as able as he is to contact your son.