“So honey, how was your week?” Your daughter is about to answer when her phone rings. It’s her mom. Again. Your daughter looks at you, mouths “Sorry, dad,” and answers the call, not wanting to upset her mother, or in case it is something urgent.
When you divorced, you agreed your daughter stays with her mom during the week and with you at weekends. Two days a week is not much, so you try to maximize your time together. However, it is difficult when her mother rings on a pretext every few hours.
Parenting time interference can take many forms. It is often a purposeful attempt by one parent to upset the other. Or it may be an expression of their insecurity. Here are some examples of how a parent can interfere, aside from continually calling:
- It’s your daughter’s birthday, and your wife unplugs the house phone and keeps her cellphone turned off all day, leaving your daughter wondering why you have not called to wish her happy birthday.
- Your wife knows the game you are taking your daughter to starts at 6 p.m. She knows you have to leave by 4 to get there on time. So she rolls into the driveway with your daughter half an hour late, to make sure you can’t.
- Your wife makes a set of “vital” appointments for your daughter on a Saturday to prevent your daughter from spending time with you.
If your ex is interfering in your parenting time, seek advice to understand your legal options. Child custody arrangements are ordered by a court, failing to abide by them could be a contempt of court.
