Getting my kids back!

[OnyxCougar]

The first two snags have hit.

(1) My ex called and bitched at my mother (who lives in California, literally across the country). All she says is that he expressed annoyance that I sprung this on him. He told her he had plans to "allow" Justin (the 16 years old) to work, and he was going to open a bank account. That all their stuff was already unpacked. That Piglet (my daughter, who is staying with him) is going to be hysterical on the way home from New Orleans. He thought this was all going to happen in July, so he planned for that. Now here I am, fucking up his plans.

Well guess what? Justin can get a job here and open a bank account here. And Piglet is going to be hysterical regardless of when the transfer takes place. He was the one that wanted me to take them in May, and I didn't want them until August, but he said no, sooner is better, so they can acclimate before school. So I bust my ass and use part of my vacation money (so much for the plantation tour!) to buy the tickets for them to come home, to save him time, money, leave, and another trip 3 hours to the same airport in August. But no. I'm fucking up HIS plans. Why he called and bitched at my mother I don't know. Like she can do anything.


(2)Yesterday, I emailed the following to my sup and the ops manager:

I was advised today that I am getting my two sons, aged 16 and 11, returned to my custody on June 14th. One has ADHD and the other is Autistic, so there is a need for me to be at home with them in the evenings as much as possible, and once school starts to be able to get my son to school in the mornings. My husband works nights at a temporary job, so his employer is not flexible with his schedule.

Therefore, starting June 16th (my date to return to work after my vacation), I would like to request a shift change to a daytime shift. I prefer something 9am to 6pm Monday - Friday, optimally, but I understand the need for flexibility on the team, so I will take anything on the day shift side, and will accept split days off if necessary.

It has been necessary in the past, with previous employers, that I obtain a statement from my children’s psychologists and pediatricians, stating the need for my presence at home is a necessity. (Jerry remembers the notes I had to get for Sitel.) If necessary, I will obtain such documentation again.

I am sending out an email to the HSI team to see if a daytime employee would like to swap shifts with me, to minimize disruption to the call volume, but as that has a low possibility of success, please give this matter your urgent attention.

I then emailed all my coworkers, and asked if anyone wanted to swap shifts, so I can work during the day and be home with my kids at night. Steve is working through Manpower, so he has no leverage to change his shift. He applied for Dept. of Corrections, and if he gets that, he doesn't get to pick his shift, and likely will be working 12s anyway, with lots of OT. So I have to change my shift. None of my coworkers responded.

Today I got the email that said, in effect, Sorry, no. If we make adjustments for you, we have to make adjustments for everyone.

There are two new people being hired in for my department. If one of them works days, I'm going to shit a brick.

There is little I can do but quit. And until Steve get's this DoC job, I can't quit. I still have my Dell to pay off with the Company, and then my 401(k) is ..what? Gone? So I'm screwed. I have to choose between being with my kids and manning the phones, a body on the floor, at my job.