Co-parenting with a difficult ex-spouse or significant other can be like a bad dream that will not go away. An unscrupulous ex can manipulate kids, be petty and unforgiving, and make life miserable for you. Many parents in this situation may try to seek the court’s intervention in an attempt to limit the other parent’s involvement and influence.
However, this may be easier said than done. Texas family court judges commonly do not get involved in the arguments that parents have with each other over the children. Essentially, there is no legal remedy for someone who is petty, vindictive, and out to get your goat at every opportunity. With that said, frustrated parents should know that the court may not help in the following situations:
A parent who refuses to pay for sports leagues – Tuition for sports leagues or costs for equipment are traditionally not included in child support payments. These are commonly seen as extracurricular activities that parents should be responsible for based on their own incomes.
Parents who bring new girlfriends (or boyfriends) around the child – It makes good sense for a parent to wait some time before introducing a new beau to their children. However, it is not a basis for a change in custody if a parent does this before the other parent is comfortable with it.
Taste in clothing – If one parent insists on conservative clothing while the other parent allows kids to be free spirits, a court is generally not going to intervene and impose its views on a parent. Instead, the court is likely going to leave this issue up to the parents to work out.
Source: HuffingtonPost.com “Why being part of a blended family is the best of both worlds,” Brittany Wong, June 20, 2014