Dad in custody battle denies child McDonald's
A father involved in a heated custody battle with his ex-wife is facing issues after refusing to take his son to McDonald's. In a situation that Illinois parents might relate to, this New York father, who seems to be in a situation where both parents are seeking physical custody, gave his child the option of eating something other than McDonald's or not eating at all. The child declined to eat at all.
Problems began to arise for the father when he dropped the boy off with his ex-wife after having not taken him to the golden arches. The boy complained to his mother, who quickly took the boy to McDonald's, that his father had refused to bend to his will.
After the situation unfolded, the mother contacted a court-appointed psychologist and complained of the event. The psychologist went on to ask the judge to reduce the father's visitation time due to the incident, and the court-appointed official even stated that the father was incapable of properly caring for the child. Due to this statement, the father has filed a defamation lawsuit against the psychologist.
In many situations, a child doesn't realize the effect that his or her actions will have on the outcome of a custody battle. During such times, parents may feel as though doing what the child demands is the only way to gain a favorable outcome. However, what is in the best interests of the child is not always what a child desires. If a parent is denied custody or visitation rights based on denying a child's wants, not on denying the child's needs, he or she might choose to seek legal aid and tell the court the events that transpired.
Source: New York Daily News, "Shrink brands dad 'wholly' incapable of caring for 4-year-old son because he refused to take kid to McDonald's", Barbara Ross, Edgar Sandoval, and Corky Siemaszko, November 07, 2013
