u/fancy_latte

I’m in Texas and looking for advice from people familiar with Texas custody cases.
I have a 14-year-old daughter. Her father has been in and out of her life for years. We have an older custody order that gives him standard possession/visitation.
My daughter does not want to see him and has been very clear about that. I also have concerns about her safety because he currently has drug-related criminal charges.

He recently contacted the police and reported that I am not following the custody order because I am not allowing him to exercise his visitation.
I understand that there is an existing order and that I can’t simply decide it doesn’t apply. I’m trying to figure out how to handle this correctly and what my options are without spending thousands of dollars on an attorney.

There is also a passport issue. I need to get my daughter a passport, and I don’t believe her father will cooperate with the application or sign for it. I know the rules change once a child turns 16, but she is 14 right now. I’m wondering if this is something I should address when modifying the existing custody order.
I’m considering whether I should file to modify the order and request things such as:
supervised visitation or another restricted visitation arrangement
drug testing as a condition of visitation
appropriate exchange/safety restrictions
authority for me to handle her passport application
I’m also wondering how much weight a Texas court can give the wishes of a 14-year-old who strongly does not want contact with a parent.
I’m not trying to keep her from her father out of spite. He has been largely absent from her life, she does not want contact, and I have legitimate concerns about her safety based on his current circumstances.
Has anyone in Texas dealt with something similar? Is a modification something I could realistically pursue on my own with limited-scope attorney help, or is this something I really need full representation for?

I’d especially appreciate advice from Texas family-law attorneys, paralegals, or parents who have gone through a similar situation.

Thank youuu :|

Moving from Texas to Querétaro — private school + neighborhood recommendations?

Hi everyone! We’re a family from Texas seriously considering moving to Querétaro within the next year, and I’d love some advice from families who have made a similar move.
We have 3 kids and one of our biggest priorities is finding the right school before choosing where to live.

🏫 What we’re looking for in a school
Bilingual Spanish/English — our kids currently speak very little Spanish, so we need a school that can support kids coming from the U.S.
Reasonably priced. With 3 kids in private school, we need something good but not insanely expensive.
Strong academics
Safe and welcoming environment
Ideally a school that is used to international/U.S. students
We want the kids to be able to transition back into a U.S. school if we ever move back.
I keep seeing IB mentioned, but I honestly don’t know much about it. Is it important if our kids may eventually attend college in the U.S.?
Is there anything specific we should look for in terms of accreditation, transcripts, credits, etc.?

🏡 Once we find the school, we want to choose our neighborhood around it.
Our ideal neighborhood would be:
safe/security is a major priority
Gated/private community with controlled access
Family-oriented
Clean and well-maintained
Nice homes, but we don’t need something ultra-luxury
Parks/green spaces and somewhere for kids to ride bikes/play
Other families with children
Close to school
Grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, etc. nearby
Preferably newer construction
Good value for the money
We’re okay being outside the city center if the area is safer and more family-friendly

If you made it this far thank you!!
If you have kids in private school, which schools would you recommend and what do they realistically cost? And which neighborhoods would you recommend living in based on those schools?
Also, if you moved from the U.S., I’d love to hear what you wish you had known before choosing a school/neighborhood.