Family court orders specify that my 12-year-old daughter and her 6-year-old brother must stay with me 5 nights a fortnight. That has been successful for the past two years, but now my daughter says she does not want to stay with me at all. Her mother says if I do not agree to allow her to stay full-time with her mother (only 5 km away) that my daughter will seek legal advice and try to have the orders changed.
The problems I think I know that she has with me is my age (I am 72), my new wife who is Chinese (speaks only Chinese) and my lack of money. In addition to the small amount of child support I pay to her mother I do pay her and her broth's catholic school fees, and uniforms and all other school related expenses (ipad, etc). I pay all sporting cost such as Swimming club. Foot ball club, Basketball club, bicycle racing club and related equipment . I also pay $100 for her hairdresser ever two months.
As a teacher, I help her with her maths school work. I provide home entertainment with trampoline at home, and at my weekend farm, swimming pool, tennis courts a pony and other animals. I have never hit either of the kids and I am quiet spoken, non-smoker, non-drinker and rarely swear. But I am also non religious. My kids go to catholic school and are Bahai faith. I know her mother would be happy with her staying full-time with her. I had to fight in court to get the access I have.
Does she have the right to seek a change to the court orders? Should I force her to obey the existing court orders?
What should I do?
The problems I think I know that she has with me is my age (I am 72), my new wife who is Chinese (speaks only Chinese) and my lack of money. In addition to the small amount of child support I pay to her mother I do pay her and her broth's catholic school fees, and uniforms and all other school related expenses (ipad, etc). I pay all sporting cost such as Swimming club. Foot ball club, Basketball club, bicycle racing club and related equipment . I also pay $100 for her hairdresser ever two months.
As a teacher, I help her with her maths school work. I provide home entertainment with trampoline at home, and at my weekend farm, swimming pool, tennis courts a pony and other animals. I have never hit either of the kids and I am quiet spoken, non-smoker, non-drinker and rarely swear. But I am also non religious. My kids go to catholic school and are Bahai faith. I know her mother would be happy with her staying full-time with her. I had to fight in court to get the access I have.
Does she have the right to seek a change to the court orders? Should I force her to obey the existing court orders?
What should I do?