- Jurisdiction
- Vermont
Hi,
Our names are Laura and Brian.
We had a question about our rights as parents regarding threats from Brian's mother about visitation rights to our 2 girls.
To better understand our situation, I'll explain some details..
We've been together for 7 years this October. Not married. We have a very healthy relationship, and happy.
We now have 1 daughter together (Avery1yr) and I have 1 other daughter (Michaela10yr) from a previous relationship. For the most part Brians family and I have gotten along just fine.
This past July 6th, Brian was in a serious motorcycle accident, almost losing his life. His family (mother Jocelyn, stepdad and 3 brothers) myself and 2 girls have had an emotional summer fearing he'd lose his life. By Mid August.. thankfully, he was able to come home!
His mother stayed with us an entire week the week of his return, as well as turning our basement into her own space without our permission. The following weekend she went home for a day but showed up unannounced by Monday for another full week. I became upset, and frustrated with her but stayed silent. Me and my girls lives had been flipped upside down and we had been apart from him for so long, so I was anxious to have him home and to have our family together again. I needed things to feel normal again. I had a talk with Brian and we both agreed she had overstayed her welcome. He spoke to his mom privately and she agreed she'd head home. Well all day she stayed outside, and silent to us all. By evening she came inside walked downstairs (we thought she was getting her things to leave.) Instead she came upstairs in her pajamas and slippers. I was very upset she had ingored our request for space. It turned into a heated argument between her and I. Finally she left. Its been over a month since that argument and she wants to see the girls. I'm very uncomfortable going over there, feeling disrespected and I do not want my children over there until I receive an apology for her hurtful words and disrespect. After that we would make visits as usual and fix our issues in time. Well she's gossiped to the town, her friends and neighbors about our fiances and private family matters. She had given us money in the past without us ever asking for it, and now shes using that against us for me to feel guilty. Brians older brother has stated he'd come up to chew me out but knows it would lead to the police being called on him. (I feel threated by him and very uneasy about seeing them now) She saw my oldest daughter once and pulled her aside telling her I was in the wrong. (This upset me even more knowing she had dragged my 10 yr old child into it.) Brian supports my decision that our kids will only go over there when his mother can show some respect towards the mother of his child. She's refusing to ever apologize and fix this together and instead threatens to take us to court for grandparent visitation rights. What are our rights when it comes to this matter? Does she have the rights to take this to court. I have given her many chances to fix this civily but she only wants to create more drama. Sorry this is so long. Im just worried my rights to choose who my children see would be taken from me. Thank you!! We appreciate your help! -Laura & Brian
Our names are Laura and Brian.
We had a question about our rights as parents regarding threats from Brian's mother about visitation rights to our 2 girls.
To better understand our situation, I'll explain some details..
We've been together for 7 years this October. Not married. We have a very healthy relationship, and happy.
We now have 1 daughter together (Avery1yr) and I have 1 other daughter (Michaela10yr) from a previous relationship. For the most part Brians family and I have gotten along just fine.
This past July 6th, Brian was in a serious motorcycle accident, almost losing his life. His family (mother Jocelyn, stepdad and 3 brothers) myself and 2 girls have had an emotional summer fearing he'd lose his life. By Mid August.. thankfully, he was able to come home!
His mother stayed with us an entire week the week of his return, as well as turning our basement into her own space without our permission. The following weekend she went home for a day but showed up unannounced by Monday for another full week. I became upset, and frustrated with her but stayed silent. Me and my girls lives had been flipped upside down and we had been apart from him for so long, so I was anxious to have him home and to have our family together again. I needed things to feel normal again. I had a talk with Brian and we both agreed she had overstayed her welcome. He spoke to his mom privately and she agreed she'd head home. Well all day she stayed outside, and silent to us all. By evening she came inside walked downstairs (we thought she was getting her things to leave.) Instead she came upstairs in her pajamas and slippers. I was very upset she had ingored our request for space. It turned into a heated argument between her and I. Finally she left. Its been over a month since that argument and she wants to see the girls. I'm very uncomfortable going over there, feeling disrespected and I do not want my children over there until I receive an apology for her hurtful words and disrespect. After that we would make visits as usual and fix our issues in time. Well she's gossiped to the town, her friends and neighbors about our fiances and private family matters. She had given us money in the past without us ever asking for it, and now shes using that against us for me to feel guilty. Brians older brother has stated he'd come up to chew me out but knows it would lead to the police being called on him. (I feel threated by him and very uneasy about seeing them now) She saw my oldest daughter once and pulled her aside telling her I was in the wrong. (This upset me even more knowing she had dragged my 10 yr old child into it.) Brian supports my decision that our kids will only go over there when his mother can show some respect towards the mother of his child. She's refusing to ever apologize and fix this together and instead threatens to take us to court for grandparent visitation rights. What are our rights when it comes to this matter? Does she have the rights to take this to court. I have given her many chances to fix this civily but she only wants to create more drama. Sorry this is so long. Im just worried my rights to choose who my children see would be taken from me. Thank you!! We appreciate your help! -Laura & Brian