My husband is the NCP of his 8 year-old daughter. He is leaving Sunday for a two week business trip out of the country during which he will miss his normal weekend visitation.

He contacted the CP and told her this and tried to arrange a switch for that weekend. She refused because it would have resulted in her having my stepdaughter three weekends in a row and then him having her three weekends in a row.

So my husband told her that his parents would have her during his visitation weekend. The CP says that she talked to her lawyer and that his parents cannot have her because the visitation time is for my husband and stepdaughter only. Is this correct?

his ex- is being a total *****. and unfortunately, they are correct--unless there is some sort of designation in the custody order that allows them the right to care for the child when he is unavailable.

The Illinois Alliance for Parents and Children, located in Chicago, might be a good source of information on Illinois divorce and child custody law reform;
not sure if they are a Father's Rights organization, I think they focus inclusively on all parental rights issues.

Here's their Web site:
www.illinoisparentsandchildren.org