custody question

[itiswhatitis]

Hi, been to court, finished everything up in regards to child support and thought things were great. Extra expenses came around like secondary school trips (expensive ones), kids getting involved with extra curricular activities. I asked the ex to pay his portion. His reply is no, these were not listed in the court order specifically. All we have listed is summer camp expenses. My question is what actually falls under special expenses in regards to extraordinary expenses for extracurricular activities and extraordinary expenses for primary or secondary school education or for any other educational programs that meet the child's particular needs. Also my child will be turning the legal age to drive soon. Can drivers education courses also be included in this. Also I have joint custody. I asked for it in the court order as the father and I still worked well together. Over the last couple of years ex's new wife has got involved and has called CAS on me twice (No threat found), the police twice (no threat found, and even an emergency motion stating I was going to kill myself (no evidence found). Now they won't allow my children to call them, email them direct or anything. I'm not allowed to call the house, speak or email their father (there terms). I think I should be going back to court as this atmosphere makes it way to hard to have joint custody. Is this a way to go or is there something else that would help this situation so we can just raise the children. Please help.

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[standing on the sidelines]

I really feel for you. It seems like things were not too bad until the he remarried and the new wife decided to stick her nose in. I would try and change the joint custody agreement because it isn't working. The new wife is trying everything to force the father to not see his kids and trying to make life terrible for you. She seems to have a few screws loose.

[FL_Needs_To_Change]

In many cases, children may have special or extraordinary expenses that are not covered by the amount in the child support tables. Section 7 of the Federal Guidelines allows for the application by either spouse for an amount to cover all or any portion of special or extraordinary expenses. In order for a requested expense to be awarded, it must be found to be necessary in relation to the child's best interests and reasonable in relation to the means of the spouses and those of the child and to the family's spending pattern before the separation.

This is what the law states, however, no where is it written any specific expenses or activities etc.
Every case is based on prior spending habits of the family, the likelihood that this type of expense would be paid for if the couple were not separated, and the means of the paying parent etc, must be reviewed before any order for extra expenses can be granted.