My husband and I have been battling with his ex wife because she seems to think their court visitation schedule is a suggestion. My step daughter is 7. Her mother is constantly manipulates her to make her want to go back to her house. For example this is our weekend with her. I also have a daughter who is 9 from a previous marriage. Our girls are great together! Anyways we went out today and got our Christmas tree and her mother knew that so as we are decorating our tree as a FAMILY her mother calls and who knows what she said but got her to want to go home. So yet another weekend without her. She constantly makes play dates or sleepovers when it's our weekend and then my husband feels bad to say she can't go. Personally I think he needs to grow some balls and say no every now and then. Her mother got her a cell phone. Again she is 7 and has no fing need for one. She will call and text literally every hour. My husband is an amazing father and we all want her with us. There are so many dead beat dads ( and moms) out there that she should be happy that her daughter has a father that cares and wants her with us. There are many times she is with us and she will tell her mom she doesn't want to come home she wants to stay with us. When she does that her mother then will try to keep her from us for weeks and will make up reasons as to why she can't come for our weekend or during the week. We also literally live 5 min from her house so she can't use distance as an excuse. This has me so unbelievably stressed out. My blood pressure has been up and down and have been needing to be monitored for preeclampsia. My husband and I get into fights over this because I get so upset. She isn't just a step daughter to me. I love her as if she was my own. I want my family together and I want everyone happy. I'm terrified ( because I come from a broken home myself) that she will resent us for having another baby like we don't want her here when it's all her mothers doing. I know we need to see a lawyer and that's why hubby and I fight because we don't have the money but something has to give. I really just want to cry and throw the towel in. I'm so hurt and upset. Sorry rant over.