To Bubbagirl4x4

[CSO286]

I didn't get my reply in before the thread closed...so here we go:

Thank you for the serious replies. He will be in til 2021. One child will be 14, the other 13, when he gets out. His wife will not let the boys talk on the phone with him and just throws out any letters he sends (she doesn't seem to care that doing that is a federal offense). He sends things to me to read to them but I live in Ohio so only see them about 4 times a year.

What part of that is a federal offense?
These are small children.... I screen and open all of my child's mail from Dad. And if it were inappropriate, you can bet I would also throw it out.

I can't talk to them about him on the phone because their mother keeps the phone on speaker so she can hear everything we talk about.

She has that right. and frankly, she could also deny you access to them. You do not have the right to private conversations with these children.

I would gladly take the children there but their mother says no. She hates him because he cheated on her and used drugs so wants no contact with him.

Not wanting her children around a person who used (uses?) drugs is actually a sign of a good parent.
I'm going to give you a little lesson in to Mom's mindset: This man cheated on her and ued drugs and is in jail for a LOOOONG for a violent crime.
She has two small children whom she hopes will grow up to be NOTHING like their father. (This is not a crime.) She also does not wish to subject her children to jail enviroment. (Again, not a crime.)
And now a glimpse into the future.....If, in a year or two or three , Mom gets married to a good man and they want to be a happy family, Mom would actually stand a pretty good shot at getting Dad's rights terminated and facilitating a stepparent adoption.

The children love him and always ask me if we're going to see him when I visit.

The children are what--3 and 4 by my math.....I hate to tell you this, but if Mom cuts off contact with you and then doesn't bring Dad up again...Dad will partially fade form their memories.

That's why I'm hoping to find that, as their father, if he still has the right to see them. If so, and she HAS to allow it, I can take them.

No, Dad doesn't have the right to demand that his children be brought to PRISON to spend time with him. I do not blame Mom for not wanting her children anywhewre near that enviroment.

I just don't know if he has any rights, where his children are concerned, while he's in jail. If the children want to see him, and someone is willing to take them, is it possible? Is it something that a judge would have to approve?

Children who are 3 and four want to go to disneyland....they also want a pet dinosaur and a full size dump truck and the green sucker.

Look, Grandma, if you want to fight this, go find and pay an attorney somewhere in the neighborhood of five figures to fight for this, knowing that the odds are NOT in your favor.