“My little girl is 10 years old. She will turn 11 in June. I’m having a problem with her wanting to go to her Dad’s every other weekend. She has friends that invite her to do things as in birthday parties, sleepovers, etc. When it is her Dad’s weekend he does not want to let her do things with her friends. It does not matter what is going on he tells her that it is his weekend. She goes over to her Dad’s and a lot of the time his bowling, golf, hunting, etc. comes first. She doesn’t understand why she even has to go if she is going to be left with her stepmom. She cries for days before she knows she has to go there. I have tried talking to her Dad and he tells me that she is manipulating me. I know that her visitation is not going to be about her all the time but some of the time would be nice. What can I do in the State of Louisiana. Can I bring her before a judge or what? Please Help!”

You can always try to bring it to a judge if there are changed circumstances warranting a change in the timesharing arrangement. However, when it is his time, you have little say about what goes on. Don’t schedule activities for your daughter during her father’s timeshare. Rather than it be a surprise when she is going to her father’s keep the calendar showing the schedule an open thing.

There are communication problems here. If you do take it back to the judge, make a request for co-parenting counseling. Keep a journal of all of your attempts to work things out. Put your daughter’s best interests first, including supporting your ex’s right to have time with her, to the extent possible.