She won't come home!!

[spopp]

What is the name of your state?Texas My 14 year old daughter went to live @ her grandparents house. Following a family fight between her father & I. My husband & I want her to come home. My mother in law says we will have to go to court to get her back home. Because she says my daughter has the right to chose where she lives. There has never been any abuse factors in our situation. My daughter just doesn't like the rules we expect her to live by. And my husband & I have fought from time to time for the last 17 years. Can my mom-n-law get custody of our daughter????? THANK YOU, SPOPP

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state?Texas My 14 year old daughter went to live @ her grandparents house. Following a family fight between her father & I. My husband & I want her to come home. My mother in law says we will have to go to court to get her back home. Because she says my daughter has the right to chose where she lives. There has never been any abuse factors in our situation. My daughter just doesn't like the rules we expect her to live by. And my husband & I have fought from time to time for the last 17 years. Can my mom-n-law get custody of our daughter????? THANK YOU, SPOPP

Your mother in law is completely incorrect. The child DOES NOT get to choose where she lives. The child's wishes are given some fairly significant weight in a custody case between two parents, but NOT between parents and a third party (such as a grandparent). Go get your child. The grandmother cannot keep her.

 

[stealth2]

LDiJ is correct.

And perhaps you and hubby should consider some joint counseling if your fighting is bad enough to make your kid want to leave home? Just a thought.

 

[glowgirl]

I would have to agree with Stealth2. If your child is unhappy or upset enought to not want to be there. The home life needs to change. Parenting is difficult but if you are serious about the child coming home than there needs to be a conversation between all of you and a positive effort to make the home life more liveable between you and your husband.