My children are 4 and 2 years old. I have been separated and living away from my ex since December of 2014. When I was living with my ex I suffered from a deep depression and developed anxiety. I blame this on my ex. I never suffered from anxiety before I met my ex. I have had depression off and on since I was a teenager. I currently do not take medications for any of these problems, I've been dealing with them on my own. Maybe in the future that might change, but my depression and anxiety have lessoned since I've been away from my ex.
My current situation I am dealing with is finding a good timeshare with my children and their father and one where we can both agree on. I have trouble agreeing with him due to him being a jerk who thinks he should get his way all the time, and he should have his daughter's when it's convenient for him. Saturday 10-15-16, my ex saw his daughter's for 2 hours and 20 minutes, before that he had seen them the month before. He is supposed to see them Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So far he hasn't been sticking to that agreement. Now that football season has started, he doesn't want to see them because it will interfere with his games. He lives very close to me, he also is out of work and currently can not pay me any child support. Yet he tells me I try and deny him his rights to see his daughter's. Which I've only done once or twice because he came when they were getting ready for bed, and I've told him in the past their bedtime.
He has mentioned to me recently that he wants to take the girls places and that seriously scares me and get my anxiety up. My oldest daughter i could see him possibly taking her to a movie or a walk around the mall, the beach or to a store. My youngest is my biggest worry. She will wonder off and she is very sensitive and cries a lot. She is currently getting evaluated by a phycologist for Autism. If my youngest has Autism, my ex won't know how to handle her, he can't handle her now, and she barely goes by him. He also doesn't want to acknowledge she even has an issue. He just says her speech is slow. She will be attending a preschool that works with children who need speech therapy.
When he comes to me and demands that he wants to take them somewhere, I have to tell him no for my youngest. I want her to have better speech and to be a little older as well.
Am I in the wrong for me saying no to him? I am very protective of my daughter's and him having them for day trips or even sleepovers absolutely terrifies me.
He also is a drinker and has drank around them in the past when him and I were living together. He is an alcoholic, but refuses to get any help. He also mentally abused me when we were together (alot when he drank), and I don't want him to do that to my daughter's when he has them.
He is not a very good father, he sort of tries, but he fails miserably.
I have been trying to work with him for the children, but he doesn't want to work with me. I feel if he keeps fighting with me about my serious concerns I have for my daughter's safety, I have no choice but to take him to court. My fear with court is, that he gets to have them over the weekends and that scares me so much.
I really don't know what else to do here. I feel stuck.