My ex and I have joint custody and he as given me written permission (no judge signed it) to take our little girl to another country to visit her grandma on vacation, even signed for the passport. Unfortunately, when he's displeased he tends to take back everything. How do I protect myself? Also, he is asking for a complete list of everything we are doing on our trip and all flight information. We've never asked it of each other during other vacations... Am I setting myself up for a disaster, when trip is already paid for.

From a practical standpoint if you have an appropriate document, signed and notarized, allowing you to take your child out of the country and your ex-husband changes his mind he has no way to revoke the document.

He certainly can't contact Homeland Security and announce he doesn't want you to leave because he's changed his mind - there is no computer program for that.

He COULD (in theory) attempt to get a Court Order preventing you from leaving (I have no idea what his grounds would be other than he's concerned you won't come back) or report you for kidnapping (or something equally bizarre) but I don't think he'll prevail (unless there's some bad past history).

As far as your schedule - I don't think it's out of line for him to request the basic information, depending on the age of your child. A minute by minute accounting, no. Basic information, yes.

Of course, he's already signed the consent so now it's up to you what you want to provide to him and much you want to argue with him.

When you are travelling I would be 100% sure to have all the necessary legal papers from a birth certificate for the child to any Court Orders with you.

Otherwise - I think he's just trying to bully you.