[mt13]

My ex has joint custody of your two daughters and one day he just stopped calling and stop visiting. He was upset that the children's school called child protective services on him, which is now a closed case, anyway, he is taking the situation out on the children and refuses to exercise his visitation. Is this considered a form of neglect? I thought that if a parent emotionally abondones their children that would be cause to have his visitation taken away or his parental rights taken away. Is there anything I can do, or file with the courts to make sure he can't continue to be in and out of their lives at his convenience?

[macksmom]

If there is no contact or child support for a year you could file to have his rights terminated. But that would only be granted if you had a spouse to adopt the children in his place.

[ScottGem]

Termination of rights is taken very seriously. I doubt if you would get the rights terminated on the grounds that they weren't being exercised.

[cdad]

What happened with child protective services and why were they called in the first place. It could be that he's weighing that against seeing them and feels shameful because even if no charges against him proceeded a lot of times the charges stick with you and your alienated for it.
Give him time.

[cjonline]

I have the same kind of thing going on. My ex sees the boys for a couple of hours one Sunday then is 9 or 10 months before they hear from him again. Its sad however, you can't make a parent take their visitation. All you can do is make sure that the other parent can see the children when/if he choses to do so again in the future.

Most important make sure you let the kids know that its not their fault he's not seeing them right now.

[mt13]

That is a little personal actually, but it was only an interview type deal, not anything that would make you stop seeing your kids. He is the type of person that lives for him and he is actually on permanent disability because he don't want to work, yet he can go skiing every weekend in the winter and is on a bowling league. He is a piece of "work". And he stopped not only seeing my 2 children, but his other 2 as well, just because he can't get his life together. He got thrown out of his parents, then his best friends for getting caught in bed with his wife, then thrown out of the next place and pretty much is just bouncing because I guess that's easier then getting up every day and getting a job and being a man. He makes me so mad because he does these things and I am the one busting my butt!! I do have a husband who has been with my kids for the past 10 years and quite frankly he has been in and out of the kids lives so much the past 10 years (their dad) that the kids don't even ask anymore. That's pretty sad, when your own kids could care less. Thanks for the response though, and I really appreciate all the advice

[mt13]

Oh my kids know that, he has been this way for the past 10 years and thank god I have a husband that has picked up the slack the last 10 years.

[cjonline]

Were you looking for information to have his rights terminated so your husband could adopt the children? Would your ex agree to that?