What you want is joint physical and legal custody with equal time. I suggest that if you do not have a separation agreement drawn up with custody terms listed that you consult an attorney and get one. Until custody is agreed on or decided in court, you both have equal access to the children. She can not keep them away from you. You need to get a schedule set up and stick with it. Please consult an attorney if you have not already done so. You don’t have to file for custody but if you allow her to keep the children in this schedule, it will be more difficult to change it down the road.
We discussed this question on yesterday’s episode of NC Divorce Talk Radio LIVE at around the 21:30 mark.
Dear nflqb7:
Greetings. No, of course you are not asking for too much. It is never asking for too much to want to parent your children. Definitely seek joint legal and physical custody and continue to ask your spouse to share the children with you. If she will not agree without court intervention - ensure that you are doing all you can now to see the children (ie. go to school to eat lunch with them, go to sporting events, go to extracurricular activities, go to their church). Then, go ahead and retain an attorney and file a lawsuit. The filing alone may be sufficient pressure for her to come to an agreement with you.
Best of luck - and great attitude for wanting to parent!
Janet L. Gemmell
How do I get more time with my children? Seperated and recently wife has made it more difficult to for me to see the kids (said I cannot see them on “her” weekends even if she is working; misses days, etc). I don’t want to file for custody but want as much time as possible with them. Is wanting 2-3 days a week and every other weekend…asking for too much?