Chapter 24 - The final custody order
The final parenting order came seven months after the birthday.
Emma was still six.
Joint legal custody.
Primary school residence:
With me.
Jason:
Alternating weekends Friday through Monday.
One Wednesday overnight.
Half school breaks.
Shared holidays.
Substantial summer periods later under age-appropriate plan.
Why not exact 50/50?
School routine.
Historical caregiving.
Emma preference for fewer transitions as reported by evaluator.
Conflict improving but recent.
Future modification possible by agreement.
Then major decisions:
School.
Nonemergency medical.
Therapy.
Joint.
If deadlock:
Mediation before court except urgent issues.
No Margaret as tie-breaker.
No grandparents as intermediaries.
Then third-party caregivers.
Ordinary babysitters allowed.
Margaret may not provide recurring or overnight care until therapeutic professional and both parents agree or court revisits.
Could she attend family events?
Yes.
No blanket ban.
Then recording.
Neither parent nor known caregiver may intentionally provoke or stage child behavior for litigation/evaluation.
That sentence existed because of us.
Then therapy privacy.
Parents receive safety/treatment information.
Not every private statement.
No demanding that therapist prove which parent is right.
Then Judge Whitaker addressed us.
“Children are allowed to have emotions that are not evidence.”
That sentence stayed.
Then:
“Parents are allowed to disagree without recruiting witnesses.”
That stayed too.
No appeal.
Jason accepted.
I accepted.
Main parenting conflict ended.
Margaret’s therapeutic progression remained separate.
My diversion case had already been dismissed.
Property closing was almost complete.
One unresolved issue remained:
May you like
What would happen to Margaret’s relationship with Emma when professional supervision ended?
That would be tested soon.
