[jssss]

I would be grateful for some help. My son is now 16, I split up with his dad about 5 years ago. He decided to live with his dad who is a very strong charater and overpowers my son emotionally. For the first year or so my son would visit me regularly every Monday and Wednesday evening and some days during the holidays. As the years have gone on it has got less and less. He only visited me 4 hours last year, 2 hours on his birthday and 2 hours for christmas. And that was only so he could get his presents. I watch him play football every Sunday but he never acknowleges that I am there.

I text him regularly and he will reply now and again, but if I ask to see him he ignores the message. Everyone keeps telling me one day I will get him back but as the years go it just gets worse.

Any advice out there?

[jenniepepsi]

Why did the court give physical custody to his father? There is a reason that you as the mother did not get physical custody.

[jssss]

I was bullied by my ex. I thought I was doing what was best for my son. He wanted to live with his dad and I thought he would change his mind if I didn't force him to live with me.

[Fr_Chuck]

Is the father turning the child against you, or telling child not to visit you?

Why have you allowed visits to stop, what started it, you would go to pick him up and what happened?

[jssss]

Yes I am sure his father is turning him against me, well not any more as he won! He's dad is a control freak and met a woman with 4 other children. One boy being the same age as my son. So a lovely family unit.

The visits got shorter and shorter, his dad would pick him up early every time. Then his dad who runs my sons football team arranged football training on a Monday evening, which then cancelled off that evening of me seeing him. So it went down to one evening. My son is controlled by him, but he is also besotted by him and will do anything he says.

I did once say Im on the way to pick you up now as it way my birthday but he text me to say he wouldn't come out if I turned up