Moving in with my dad at 17

I am 17 years old and live in texas. My mother has had main custody of me since my parents were divorced when i was about a year old, with my father seeing me every other weekend. My mom has had 3 other kids with my step father, twins that are 5 and a 8 year old. In the past few years my living situation with my mom has become worse, even more so in the past few months. I am not being physically abused. However, i am not being provided for or taken care of like i should be by a parent. For example, my mother will go to get something to eat for the family and i will ask to get something. She will say "do you have money?" and when i say no she will say "then i guess not". I am not given money for food, clothes, or anything else i need. She is even refusing to pay for my summer school that i have to take to graduate. There are many times i will go without lunch because i have no food and she wont give me money. I am also forced to do the dishes, clean the clothes, fold them, clean bathrooms and the kitchen, my 3 siblings rooms, mine, and a play room while she watches tv with her other children. If i try to take a nap i get in touble.

I want to go to court and get my custody transfered over to my father. He is $1000 ahead on his child support and will provide for me like a parent is suppose to. However, he will need to get child support from my mother. My question is how hard will it be for this to work with what i have told you? And since i am 17 years old, does that help me have more of a say in it?

[missingmyhubby]

Originally Posted by Unregistered I am 17 years old and live in texas. My mother has had main custody of me since my parents were divorced when i was about a year old, with my father seeing me every other weekend. My mom has had 3 other kids with my step father, twins that are 5 and a 8 year old. In the past few years my living situation with my mom has become worse, even more so in the past few months. I am not being physically abused. However, i am not being provided for or taken care of like i should be by a parent. For example, my mother will go to get something to eat for the family and i will ask to get something. She will say "do you have money?" and when i say no she will say "then i guess not". I am not given money for food, clothes, or anything else i need. She is even refusing to pay for my summer school that i have to take to graduate. There are many times i will go without lunch because i have no food and she wont give me money. I am also forced to do the dishes, clean the clothes, fold them, clean bathrooms and the kitchen, my 3 siblings rooms, mine, and a play room while she watches tv with her other children. If i try to take a nap i get in touble. I want to go to court and get my custody transfered over to my father. He is $1000 ahead on his child support and will provide for me like a parent is suppose to. However, he will need to get child support from my mother. My question is how hard will it be for this to work with what i have told you? And since i am 17 years old, does that help me have more of a say in it?

you have a say in where you live when youre 18, not 17.

File a complaint with your local social services office if she really is depriving you of basics like food clothing etc