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Getting Parental Support
Hello there. I am a seventeen year-old honor roll student finishing my junior year in high school. My parents have been divorced since I was 6 months old and I've always lived with my mother. We have been fighting for almost the entire time. We have both been verbally, physically, and mentally abusive in the past. It is mostly verbally abusive now. My sister is 19 and away at college but she would get dragged into it as well. It is a constant struggle. i have become someone I hate when I am around her. We bring out the worst in each other and it is just a very unhealthy relationship. If we were spouses, we would have every reason to divorce.
We saw a psychologist but she could not help me, neither could a psychiatrist. Their best solution was to not fight with my mother- easier said than done. Both my parents are psychology majors and they've exhausted all their resources. I get along fine at school- never any problems with grades or behavior.
I don't want to transfer to another state before senior year and all of my grandparents have died. My aunt has health problems; there really isn't anyone else for me to live with. I am constantly depressed and not typical teenage depression, but truly, extremely depressed to the point of not sleeping or eating. I haven't wanted to live here for the last 9 years and I'm surprised I haven't run away yet. My mother doesn't want me here either. She has said I am not living here next year (meaning I am going to my father's) so I think she may relinquish parental rights if I request it. And my dad is generally understanding so he may support me financially during senior year because as I understand it you must be able to support yourself better than your parents can and there's no way I can make more than my father does working for a Fortune 500 company. Money is not the issue, relationships are.
Please, I really need help. I can probably get my mother to relinquish rights and my father to pay support. Is that even possible? And what are my chances? What else would I have to do? Thank you.
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Re: An Unusual Case
Your father can petition the court which issued the custody order to modify that order such that you can live with him. You're not a candidate for emancipation if you depend on your parents to support you.