Daddy, I Hate Your Girlfriend
BY ELISSA BERNSTEIN

Graham raced up to the house in his sports car. "Finally, a weekend with my boys! And tickets to the ball game. There they are, all ready and waiting for daddy. I don't even have to speak to their nasty mother."

He called out to his sons. "Chris…Evan…Daddy's here!"

But Chris and Evan wouldn't budge from the steps.

"Come on you two! The game starts in 20 minutes."

The two boys slowly shook their heads.

Graham tried to hide his frustration as he got out of the car.

"Hey buddies, don't you want to go the game? This is our special time together."

Six-year-old Evan started shouting. "We're not going with you daddy."

Then, nine-year-old Chris piped in. "We hate your girlfriend, daddy. We don't want to be with her."

Graham could feel his blood pressure rise. "We'll work it out, fellas. Wait here while I talk to your mom, okay?"

Graham found Lori in the kitchen, cleaning out the fridge.

He lashed out with a vengeance. "What the heck is going on, Lori? My sons suddenly decide they don't like my girlfriend? Sounds like you've been brainwashing them!" Lori smirked at her ex husband as she scrubbed out the egg tray. "Sounds like character. Better than their poor deluded father who's trying to avoid middle age with a sports car and a little bimbo by his side."

Graham sucked in his breath. "Jealous, Lori?"

Lori carelessly threw some moldy meat loaf in the trash, barely missing Graham's Italian shoes. "In case it slipped your mind, our divorce agreement says our sons can refuse to spend time with any girlfriend of yours or any boyfriend of mine."

Graham gave Lori a look of disgust. "We'll see what a judge has to say about this."

IN THE COURTROOM

Lori was still furious. "Graham

consistently violated the agreement

by refusing to respect the

children's wishes. We included this paragraph in the divorce, because the children were so adamant about not wanting to be in his girlfriend's presence. Please enforce it."

Graham fumed. "Your Honor, Lori manipulates the children because she dislikes my girlfriend. My kids are afraid to say how they really feel. This is interfering with my relationship with my children. It's not fair to me or them."

Should this part of the divorce agreement stand? YOU! Be The Judge. Then see below for the decision.

THE DECISION

""This part of the divorce agreement is invalid," ruled the Judge. "Agreements dealing with children are only enforceable if they're in the children's best interests. This agreement places them in the middle of ongoing disputes. Young children shouldn't be expected to know what's in their own best interests."