Every parent has had a disagreement with his or her children. Kids might not understand exactly when their parents are trying to teach a lesson or reinforce healthy habits. According to one man, he has tried to do right by his son, but he could lose his rights to child custody and visitation.
In New York, a mother and father are currently struggling with the custody and visitation agreement reached during their divorce. The current dispute started when the father was planning spending time with his son by going out for dinner. His 4-year-old son suggested eating at McDonald’s. However, the man felt his son was consuming too much unhealthy food, so he said they could go anywhere other than the fast-food restaurant or have no dinner at all. The child refused to eat, so his father brought him back to his mom’s house.
Shortly after this event occurred, the man found out that a psychiatrist determined that the man was unfit to be a parent. As such, this could jeopardize the man’s ability to spend time on weekends with his son. In response to the psychiatrist’s claims, the man filed a defamation suit against her. Not only that, he has said that he now regrets taking such a hard line with his son, but didn’t want to give in to his son’s bad behavior.
Of course, this case is certainly unique enough to attract national headlines. Yet many parents in Alabama struggle with determining what kind of custody and visitation arrangements will respect the rights of both parents while reflecting the best interests of the children.
When approaching divorce or child custody modifications, parents may have questions about how to proceed. An experienced attorney can help couples understand their options and create a mutually beneficial settlement.
Source: Yahoo, “How Saying No to McDonald’s Might Lead to Dad Losing Custody,” Beth Greenfield, Nov. 8, 2013
