Cease and Desist

One particular weekend, my kids asked if they could visit again the next weekend (which would've been the 4th weekend of the month).

I told them, "Well it's not my weekend, but you're always welcome if your mother allows it."

The next day after they went back to their mother, I got a Cease and Desist letter/email from my ex's lawyer.

Here are a couple excerpts from this long message:

"I am writing to remind you of a principle of co-parenting, particularly in high conflict cases.  In short, the children are not to be used as messengers.  I am very confident that you were instructed in your high conflict parent education program that this tactic is incredibly harmful for your children.

The children will be instructed not to transfer messages from you to Ms. Boyce.  This puts the children in the middle of issues which they have no say in.  Further, it makes the children responsible if a message is inadvertently miscommunicated., or forgotten  Both are unacceptable positions for the children.  Ms. Boyce's email continues to be available to you;"

These are just two paragraphs of a much longer message - all in response to me saying that one sentence to the kids.

So, for something as simple as the kids coming home excited and asking their mother if they could go back next weekend - my ex freaked out, emailed her lawyer THAT day and insisted I was trafficking messages through the children and violating the restraining order.

Seeing the pattern yet?