Mum threatening to move away

[sktny]

DSD8 has been 50/50 with us since 3yo.

Mum and Dad don't drive, Mum wants to move 100 miles away.

Anyone navigated this? Never been to court or anything, Dad gives Mum over £200 a month to help with bills as Mum doesn't work and never has.

Currently live a few roads away from eachother, split the school run etc.

Mum moved before with Dad's agreement as we moved to be closer soon after. We have lives and jobs here now though so although not impossible to move again we want to avoid it.

Informal chat and then a solicitor's letter, she'll either drop it or you push to be the RP.

I'm a step parent and my stepdaughter's mother did this when my SD was a lot older but still in full time education. She came to live with us, but I don't think she felt entirely comfortable doing this. Initially she resented us, later she turned the resentment against her mother. Whatever the outcome of the situation, if the move did go ahead, it would cause a lot of upset for everyone concerned.

Presumably too if the move did not go ahead, but lawyers got involved, that would also cause a certain amount of upset, though this is probably the lesser of two evils.

If things can be worked out ie the mother being persuaded it is in the child's interests not to have one of her parents moving a long way away - without lawyers getting involved that would be the best option.

My DP went through this and eventually had no choice but to relocate because the exw did. It’s very scary, OP. I’ve been through it and wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

DP first tried to stop the move with a an informal request, then a mediation request (refused) and then a prohibited steps order, which he lost.

But all situations are different. Some of the exw’s family were moving to the same area. So, support network case. And at the time the exw was the primary parent.

The exw moved as soon as the judgment was handed down, making an appeal pointless because the children were already resettled.

I understand there are various charities that offer free legal advice sessions to dads.

I so hope you can all get through this amicably with minimal disruption to the child.