Visitation and boys do not want to go
I have two boys ages 8 and 10. Neither of them want to spend time with their father. My oldest has panic attacks before visitation that involves overnight stays. I have had the boys in counseling for over a year now. The counselor says my 10 year old is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from violence he witnessed in the home while his dad was still living with us. Unless circumstances are directly relating to the children as written into the restraining order, he is not allowed around me.
My 10 year old was upset one day when he had to go to his dad's and his dad screamed and yelled at him. He told my 10 year old, "This is my time and you are going to be here with me and I don't care how freaking bad that makes you feel!" He pits the children against each other. He lets his wife call my 8 year old a spoiled brat to his face. He doesn't follow the visitation schedule and modifies it as he sees fit. He has only kept them two whole weekends since the beginning of the year. Instead, he breaks up the time so I have to accommodate his schedule. It is written into the visitation order that he must take them to practices and games. He berates the kids for having practices or games during "his time."
My oldest keeps asking when he will be old enough to not go anymore. My ex has two daughters that he did not fight to see when they said they didn't want to see him. I really feel this is another control issue for him and he must show everyone who is the boss. Is there anything I can do to make this insanity stop? He was using drugs (marijuana and cocaine) but has replaced that with religion now. When I asked him if he was going to make a child support payment for August because school was starting and the boys needed things, he told me to pray to God and ask God what the boys really needed. HELLO? He only pays child support periodically because the Bible says he is to support his wife and the government is evil for telling him to do otherwise. Short of moving out of the state and disappearing, how do I protect my kids? Thanks!