I am a mother of 3 children ages 15 to 11. There father has primary care. Summer of 04 he gave me less than a 30 day notice that they were moving to Vermont from Florida. He did give me paper work for modification and I was told not to sign it which I did not the day they moved to Vermont. I went everywhere trying to get help cause the kids did not want to move. This move has not been good for them, no family etc. They want to live with me and they are scared of him and girlfriend. They live in a 3b/1bath house she has 5 kids and my 3 live there also. 10 people in the house how is this legal. Anyway I need help I have the kids right now for a week vacation and they and I dont want them to go back. They are verbally abused and threatened. He their father gave me pills for 2 of my kids to take with no perscription attached which are strattera and concerta neither one of them have ADD. They did not see a doctor for this. These 2 pills combined is very dangerous. I consulted a pharmascist which gave me a FDA warnings and regulations regarding these pills. My children are already showing signs of the side effects
son has lost 20lbs he is 14 and is now under 100lbs both are depressed and have told me that they have been having bad thoughts of harm.
I am supposed to put them back on a plane to Vermont 2/26 out of Orlando Fl.
I am scared and so are they. Please help me I have nowhere to turn.
Since I have had them I have not given this medicine to them. A mother is to protect her children how can I when no one will help me I have so much evidence against there father for allot of things.
Please help if not me then my children :(
Tara

TARA, if your children's names were on those prescriptions, then they saw someone for them. Or the father wrote them himself. I would call the prescribing PHY. to see if they actually were evaluated or not and for what reason. If the children are feeling depressed or are scared then they should have someone advocate for them to petition the courts for a better placement which is probably with you and can probably be done at a juvenile court. I would not want my children living in a home where there are 10 people to a 3BR either. 2 of my children are on ADHD medications and have both used Strattera and are on Concerta at the moment, it is not like taking a street drug. The fear you have is not uncommon but the medication itself is not as harmful as you may think-when its used correctly. It has made a huge positive difference in my children and has given them a chance to be more expressive with their feelings without hurting themselves and others. I was 100% against all of those medications in the beginning and still am against some of them-but the right medication for a paticular child is not all that misleading.

Either way, I am sorry about your situation. You and your children are going to have to work together to heal this situation or it is going to continue the way it is. You all are going to have to go to juvenile court and ask for a family advocate and the children are going to have to tell someone exactly what is going on in the father's household. Then they in turn will tell you what you have to do and they will tell the children what they have to do. But, be prepared that they "MIGHT" have to go into state custody or with another family member until they can return to you 100%. But, the children need to be very clear that they feel safer and more comfortable living with you. And maybe, the state will move an immediate temp. order for them to be with you. For what it's worth I have been in your shoes, the shoes were just a tad bit smaller-but it all worked out in the end for me and the children.

I am a mother of 3 children ages 15 to 11. There father has primary care. Summer of 04 he gave me less than a 30 day notice that they were moving to Vermont from Florida. He did give me paper work for modification and I was told not to sign it which I did not the day they moved to Vermont. I went everywhere trying to get help cause the kids did not want to move. This move has not been good for them, no family etc. They want to live with me and they are scared of him and girlfriend. They live in a 3b/1bath house she has 5 kids and my 3 live there also. 10 people in the house how is this legal. Anyway I need help I have the kids right now for a week vacation and they and I dont want them to go back. They are verbally abused and threatened. He their father gave me pills for 2 of my kids to take with no perscription attached which are strattera and concerta neither one of them have ADD. They did not see a doctor for this. These 2 pills combined is very dangerous. I consulted a pharmascist which gave me a FDA warnings and regulations regarding these pills. My children are already showing signs of the side effects
son has lost 20lbs he is 14 and is now under 100lbs both are depressed and have told me that they have been having bad thoughts of harm.
I am supposed to put them back on a plane to Vermont 2/26 out of Orlando Fl.
I am scared and so are they. Please help me I have nowhere to turn.
Since I have had them I have not given this medicine to them. A mother is to protect her children how can I when no one will help me I have so much evidence against there father for allot of things.
Please help if not me then my children :(
Tara
Have you been to court at all since the move in 2004? Basically, you have to obey whatever the existing court order is. If the existing order is that he has primary custody, you will have to send the kids back. Then you can file for a modification of custody, and take all your evidence to court. You don't need an attorney, if the case is still in Fl. you can find all the forms at www.flcourts.org/ there is also alot of info there for filing pro-se.