Q: Our child does some weekends with her dad in Ohio, usually Friday and Saturday night. However, he’s in ICU for last 48 hours and will be at least 48 more. The child at a friend’s house and needs to be picked up Sunday morning. This is still fathers time. Can I, as the mother, pick her up at the friend’s house and bring her home with me to spend night? I have her 8 months of the year about. Father’s wife cannot tell the child where to spend the day/night if me, primary care Mother, thinks it’s best for her to just sit tight at home until dad out of ICU? Want to be sure I can go get her. (Wexford, PA)

A: Just a suggestion. This is not a good time to instigate a fight over custody. You will look like a jerk. I would need to read your custody agreement carefully. In every custody agreement there is an inference that a child may be in the company of a parent’s new spouse or partner, as part of normal life in their other home. I think you would be swimming up stream if you would take this in to Family Court with a motion. You may want to talk to the wife in a civil manner to see if she can work this out with you.