AboutDavid Simonsen Expertise I can answer questions directly related to your challenging relationships. I will give you a straight forward answer to what I think the problem is.
Experience I have the experience needed to help you sort out how to work through your relationship. I meet weekly with people who have challenging relationships so let me help you!
Organizations AAMFT;AACC
Education/Credentials B.A. M.S. Marriage & Family Therapy
Question I too have a daughter with a 3 yr old son who has been in a abusive relationship off and on for about the past 4 years. She has been supporting the child on her own for the past year by working two jobs. He constantly threatens to take the child away from her, stating he only let her have him even though he was the one that abandoned them last October if she even mentioned suing him for child support. She is very depressed. She has started drinking and her hygiene has gotten very bad. I try to help her out as much as I can babysitting etc but they cannot live with me because I currently live in a senior area. She is staying with my other daughter temporarily. Previously she rented a room with my grandson and was doing very well, she bought a new car etc when the father of the child convinced her to move in after wrecking his car and using her for both a car and help pay his bills. It didn't work out. He is extremely verbally abusive. I have considered getting a studio apartment with her to help care for the baby and she says she wants me to, but not really sure what she has in her head. I am afraid she may even be suicidal. I don't know. What should I do. She has also been brainwashed into thinking that my grandson needs his dad around even if he is a bad influence. He watches him a couple nights a week while she is at work, but rarely on the weekends because he likes to go out partying with his friends. PS He tells her he also has a better chance of getting custody because he has had a job for 4 years (he works for his dad and misses days all the time) and has a house (he rents a room from a friend) Desperate, what can I do
Answer Julie,
All it seems you can do in this situation is attempt to provide information to your daughter on ways she can get support to get out of this relationship. Another thing you could consider doing is speaking to a family law attorney and see what your rights are as a grand-parent. You can also report incidents of abuse to CPS. They may take the kid out of the home and probably give the kid to you. It id unfortunate that not more can be done. Yet, since she is the adult in charge she is allowed to make stupid choices.
David
www.help4life.net
