tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16103538.post219244695015628817..comments2023-06-22T06:46:19.888-07:00Comments on Just another disenfranchised father: Oh, alright, you can have what's left of the kid while mom's in rehab...John Doehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05326982429461344063noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16103538.post-56766518055401309872007-08-04T13:30:00.000-07:002007-08-04T13:30:00.000-07:00HeyI just wanted to send you a small message of su...HeyI just wanted to send you a small message of support for what you're doing. I myself am the result of a single-parent upbringing (aged 20, female) and though I feel the decision to give custody to my mother was right in my families case I know of many others where this has not been the case, namely my step-dad and my uncle. In each of these cases the father was a loving, supportive and excellent caregiver but the children were left with druggie (my step-dad's ex) and generally neglectful and screwed up (my uncle's ex) mothers. My step-dad persevered and eventually - following several drug-related criminal charges being brought against his ex-wife - he succeeded in gaining custody not only of his own son but of his ex's two older children, before meeting my mum and accepting and raising myself and sisters as his own. On the other hand my uncle was never able to gain custody of his kids and was forced to see them living in a small 2-bed flat with a physically aggressive step-dad and four half-siblings (totalling seven kids living at home until my eldest cousin left home at 16 a year after the youngest was born). He was only given access to his kids one weekend a month (supposed to be 2 plus holidays but she just ignored his complaints and made excuses) until they were around 14 and were able to demand more time for themselves. These men live only 60 miles apart but have been treated so differently by the courts it disgusts me. I honestly feel the work you are doing just by enabling this website to exist and raise awareness of such an issue deserves all sorts of applauds. God, recently there's been more in the news about grandparents demanding access to kids. Thankyou.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16103538.post-44303038150148169342007-03-15T00:45:00.000-07:002007-03-15T00:45:00.000-07:00The courts said:"you're not a father, you're a bab...The courts said:<BR/>"you're not a father, you're a babysitter for when mommy isn't around"<BR/><BR/>I know the feeling. That's when I get to see my kids, when mommy is in town for something and she needs me to watch the kids for that night or two.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16103538.post-82710815372418951372007-02-26T08:53:00.000-08:002007-02-26T08:53:00.000-08:00This reminds me of the situation of an old F4J bud...This reminds me of the situation of an old F4J buddy of mine. The Mother of his three young sons is a chronic alchoholic with a string of drink-driving and other convictions (including assaulting a police officer). On one occasion, she was actually pulled outside the school, with the kids in the car.<BR/><BR/>The school has also raised concerns with the local social services about the welfare of the children.<BR/><BR/>Does any of this make a blind bit of difference in the family courts? Of course not: dad gets to see his kids alternate weekends (standard quota), and never knows from one time to the next whether he will see them alive again. He's been trying to get some sense out of the system for years...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com