As I write, DH is off meeting with the GAL. We have been trying to get a fixed placement schedule from the court. Currently DH and BM have 50/50 custody (on paper), however for the past 3 years DH has actually had the kids 60% of the time to her 40%. This is because BM has demanded that the schedule revolve around her job and that she should only have the kids on her days off (she's an EMT that works eod 24 hr shifts). Currently we have the skids 5 days then they go back to her for 4 then back to us for 5. Every now and then (like when we're taking her to court, or she has a case of the guilts) she'll email DH to tell him which additional days she's taking the kids in the next month. Yes tells him, no compromise. This schedule results in the skids being bounced around like a ping pong ball as the rotation never is the same days of the week. So DH has finally stood up and said Nope, I'm done, and petitioned the court for a fixed week on week off schedule. They went into mediation where DH said he'd be willing to consider alternatives, BM just sat there and said "not going to work with you, the schedule has to stay as it is". Even the mediator told BM that everyone needed to compromise for the sake of the skids, BM effectively said she doesn't have to compromise.

BM then decided to petition the court herself with this ridiculous "fixed schedule" she was requesting. Which was nothing more than her drawing up a year calendar with the skids being by her on this "rotation" AND on the handpicked days she selected for the whole year. Her claim is that DH is keeping her from her children, so she's "unable" to have 50% placement. UMMM hello? Wouldn't DH just go to court for primary placement (not to try to enforce 50 50 placement)So here we are with DH meeting with the GAL.

GAL tells DH that although consistency is important, so is the quality of time spent w/the parent. And a week to week schedule would prevent BM from having that time w/ her kids. So GAL will be talking to the skids now. DH is thinking that GAL will side w/BM with the schedule rotation BUT that in turn they not give her the ability to hand pick extra days and will award us 60% placement. Call me crazy. Call me paranoid, but I swear my worst fear is that they give BM complete control over the schedule (rotation and xtra days) and we had to spend $$$$ to be in the same crap we're in now. I truly don't know if I could take 9 years of that.