Posted 02 February 2012 - 11:33 PM
Sorry you are going through what you are going through... And yeah, you are awesome to be nice enough to let her retain the car for the sake of a kid...
THEN FORCE HER TO TAKE TITLE OF THE CAR!! Or failing that, make sure your lawyer has it detailed for the court records. Make sure it's documented when you left the car in her care and why you did.
Seriously... I know a guy that got screwed on his DL, insurance, and a car reg because he let his ex use a car under his name, and she did not do good things with it. Just a couple tickets, but it was enough to mess things up for him. It took him forever to clear it up with the DMV, and he just had to sit and suffer for the 5 years or so to get it cleared off insurance records. The insurance companies are often less sympathetic than the DMV sometimes.
Another thing... Be darn sure to make sure that all your tax records are in order. And submittable to the courts. Again, a guy that got horked. He was making a six figure bundle, but that crashed. And he didn't make sure his paperwork was in order to show that. So, he was then ordered by the courts to pay child support according to the six figure salary instead of the (by then) minim wage job he got just to try to have a place for his kids to come to when he got them on weekends and pay child support. Then his ex hauled him back into court again citing an unfit home for his father rights. Because he was being a responsible dad and shelling out pretty much every penny he had for his kids, and simply had nothing left over for himself to live on. Took him way more than he could afford to set the record straight.
Don't feel bad or guilty that you moved back in with your parents. It sucks to move back "home" when you are an adult. But it's also wise. Gives you a chance to get it together.. Also gives the courts a very agreeable base for living accommodations when it comes down to you being able to have time with your kid. I know of a guy that moved in with his folks when divorce came.. And he still lives there. He helps his mom now that his father passed. And now he has his older child living with them too. His younger one is just waiting till she is old enough to say her peace to the courts so she can live with them too.
And again.. now that you have confirmed kid action... If you are a good dad, fight for it. Fight tooth and nail for your father rights. I would even hazard to say give up the fight completely as a husband if that's what you got to do, but hang on for the sake of your kid. And make sure that when you can, let your child know how much you love them, and that you will never stop being his dad no matter what is going on with his mother. I'm bitter to my dad because he let go, but fathers have been redeemed and then some to me because of what I have seen friends go through holding on to their kids.
And on the flip side... Don't let your kid abuse the battle between you and your ex. I've known of kids that use it to play dad up for extraordinary crap. And sometimes they have gotten bitter, enjoying the rewards, but hating the tug of war. Just keep being yourself, keep being the dad you always are.
I know I'm painting kind of a grim picture. But I have seen some strange twists and turns with divorce and the outcomes of it. I've also known of a couple divorces that started out ugly, but ended amicable enough.
Yes, I am a cynical and jaded jacknape. I try to see all three sides of the coin- do you?