Ex won't stick to pickup schedule, always 30 mins late

Jul 31·1 min read

This has been going on for 6 months now. Every other Friday she says she'll be there at 3 and doesn't show till 3:30. My kids are waiting by the door and I'm trying not to let them see how frustrated I am. I've texted about it, brought it up in person, nothing changes. Do I need to document this stuff for court or am I overreacting? We don't have an official custody agreement yet, just been doing this informally since the split.

5 comments161 views

Comments(5)

MMitch R.RegularJul 31

That's frustrating, especially when your kids are the ones disappointed every time. You might need to have a direct conversation about how the lateness affects them, not just the logistics. Sometimes people don't realize the real impact until you spell it out.

MMatt S.RegularJul 31

Six months of that would drive me crazy. Have you tried putting it in writing with her, like a text confirmation the day before? Sometimes making it official makes people take it more seriously. Your kids waiting by the door is rough though.

FFelix R.RegularAug 1

This would drive me absolutely crazy. Every other Friday is set in stone for a reason. If she can't respect the agreement that was made, document it. You might need that paper trail eventually.

DDavid R.RegularAug 1

Six months of this? That's not okay. I don't want to jump to conclusions but consistent lateness is disrespectful to your time and honestly confusing for the kids. Have you tried having a direct conversation with her about it or do you need to involve a lawyer at this point?

DDaniel M.RegularAug 1

Thirty minutes late every time adds up. That's the kids wondering where mom is, that's your plans getting pushed back, that's disrespect for the custody arrangement. I'd send her a formal message laying out the issue and giving her one more chance before escalating.