Custody & Visitation: Keeping the Peace Vs. Laying Down the Law

Malificent dropped Cinderella off an hour late from a recently scheduled visitation.
Three hours late from a week-long Spring break.
10 minutes here. 20 minutes there.
She's hardly ever late picking Cinderella up for visitation. But is getting progessively ballsy in choosing when to bring Cinderella back home.
Oh, I figured that since I picked her up late, that I could keep her a little later.
Oh, she was supposed to be back at 5pm? I thought it was 8pm.
Oh, I wasn't feeling well so I went to lie down and shut off the phones.
A few times, she made an attempt at the obligatory phone call (at the last minute, when she already had Cinderella) to ask Prince Charming for some extra time. In her world, his not answering the phone translates into Sure! Keep her for as long as you want!
Her visitation times are noted specifically in the custody agreement. But for the past year and a half she has been taking liberties. Pretending not to realize that she is abusing the privilege.
Prince Charming has realized. But in the sake of Keeping the Peace has turned a Blind Eye.
She needs to learn her Lesson. She LOST Custody for a reason and You are giving her Extra Time when she has done nothing yet to earn back that right.
My warnings back then fell on deaf ears.
If I'm to move beyond the past, I have to give her the benefit of the doubt and trust that she is going to change.
The other day I Twittered about how those who failed to learn the lessons of the past are doomed to repeat them.
Well... DOOM has now befallen the Kingdom.
Keeping the Peace has gotten Prince Charming nowhere. Always the pacifist he bends over backwards and gives in to Malificent's tirades. Anything to avoid a Battle and to keep Cinderella blissfully ignorant.
However, he's decided it's now time to Lay Down the Law. (A role he has never been comfortable with.)
Prince Charming has declared the custody papers to be followed to.the.letter.
No more taking liberties. No more (half-heartedly) asking Forgiveness instead of Permission.
No more turning a Blind Eye.
Malificent isn't happy and has started letting her horns show. Hanging up on Prince Charming, refusing to come to the door to pick Cinderella up and instead waiting in the driveway for me to notice her car, avoiding to call the house at all costs.
More followup discussions need to occur to make sure she understands the What's, When's and Why's of the visitation "change." Prince Charming and I both know they will not come easily. Malificent is Queen of Denial and Avoidance.
Cinderella didn't take on the role of Mediator all on her own. Her Mother hid behind her for years in order to avoid interacting with P.C. If she doesn't speak with him, then she can't claim accountability for anything and can remain blissfully ignorant.
She lives in her own altered reality. She's happy there.
Cinderella's Law Guardian was right.
Wish I had a map to that Happy Place. We're going to need it.
Stay tuned...

Picasso's Rushmore

"Hey, Mommy look what I drawed. It's the rock with all the presidents."

Let the Clean-Up Begin

Can't think of a better way to end a sopping wet week than to empty the
contents of one's garage and basement into the driveway for all the
neighboorhood to watch and pity. We're placing bets as to how much of
what you see here is actually salvageable.

[And to all you vultures who keep slowing down in front of our house, NO
WE ARE NOT HAVING A TAG SALE.]

Heading to Higher Ground

Fear of electrocution will keep PC off and the rest of us upstairs for
2nd day in a row.
Micro-blogging it today via Twitter!
(It's quite fun actually... click on pretty pink-box-thing to your right
to get one of your own.)

Rain? Flooding? Who Cares!

When you have THESE.
Phase I of Project SMILF completed.