Q: My children's father is currently homeless, and I want to know if I can keep my children from spending weekends with him
He currently gets them every other weekend. He has been staying at a house that his girlfriend is renovating for an investor, which is over an hour away from their school and activities. The house is under construction, and there is only one bedroom where 4 teenagers (my 2 kids and his girlfriend's 2 kids) are sleeping on mattresses on the floor, while 3 adults are sleeping in the living room. They also have 8 dogs and 4 cats staying there. They don't have a lease or any legal right to be there. My daughter has activities at school until late in the evening, and she is also working a job on the weekends. She asked him to stay at my house for the weekend so she can get to places quicker and have some time to sleep and relax. His girlfriend is giving my daughter a hard time and insulting her because she doesn't want to go stay at that house. Can I legally (in Florida) keep my children from spending the weekends with him overnight until he has a stable home?
A: It is always appropriate to put the safety and wellbeing of the children first. However, you should also file something with the court explaining your concerns as to why you are preventing the timesharing. Speak with a local family lawyer for more specific advice.
Terrence H Thorgaard agrees with this answer
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