Opinion ID: 2126789
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: evidence of xavier's best interests

Text: Barnett admitted that she had told Katianne that it would be difficult to terminate her parental rights because Katianne had completed parts of her plan. As Barnett explained: She is sober and she is parenting two other kids in her home. Still, Barnett stated her opinion that termination of Katianne's parental rights was in Xavier's best interests because: We've already heard that Xavier can be fussy. [The foster mother] has called me numerous times where he has been screaming for hours at a time just because he is very smart, he is very strong willed, and he wants to get what he wants. And, I mean, I don't know that anybody can handle that, so there's things in that regard. He's difficult. [Katianne's] life is stressful. Things are not consistent in her home. The other two children are not well managed at this point. They need consistency and Kati[anne's] time and I don't feel that she can handle three children with their needs. Barnett explained that Xavier's foster parents were unable to adopt Xavier because of their ages. There were four prospective adoptive placements for Xavier, one being an aunt and uncle on the father's side who lived in California with their three young children. Xavier had met the aunt and uncle during one week-end visit, and Barnett claimed that Xavier had bonded to them because he talks to them twice a month on the phone, points to [the aunt] and calls her mommy, and can point to her in a booklet as his mother, and get excited and talk to her on the phone. Xavier had not bonded with any of the other prospective adoptive families. Barnett explained that after adoption, whether Xavier had any contact with his biological siblings would be up to Katianne and whoever adopts him. Xavier's foster mother testified Xavier was now a happy, healthy 2-year-old with age-appropriate development. The foster mother seemed to agree that he was somewhat high maintenance. explaining: You know, I guess if I had more small children, you know, Xavier can be clingy, and when he is it's really hard to get him settled down, and if I had more little kids that I was having  to you know, get everybody to bed and baths on time and stuff, I think I would have a hard time getting everybody's needs met and keeping him calm. He wants to be picked up. He wants attention. The foster mother testified that Xavier usually behaved just fine after his visits with Katianne, although on three occasions in August and September 2005, Xavier acted out by hitting or throwing toys after his visits. These episodes seem to correspond to a period where Xavier was generally experiencing more temper tantrums. The foster mother explained that the frequency of Xavier's temper tantrums had generally diminished since that time. Katianne testified that she had ended her relationship with Xavier's father and that he no longer lived in her home. She still had some contact with him because of his relationship with his children. Katianne stated that she wished to move back to New Jersey, where her family and friends were, because she would have a network of support there. She testified that she was currently employed full time as a security guard and was trying to complete some online college courses. Katianne stated that although she had had several different jobs in the recent past, she had lost many of them when they conflicted with her children's needs. In the last couple of months, she had worked out an arrangement with another mother in her neighborhood to take turns babysitting while the other was at work. Katianne said that this arrangement was working out well and that she trusted the other mother with her children. Katianne described the routine she had established for her girls, indicating that establishing a routine was something she had learned as a result of the parenting course and counseling. Katianne thought that the routine helped with the children's behavior. The routine included set mealtimes, snacks, naptime, playtime while Katianne did household chores, and a bath and bedtime routine which included television or stories. Katianne explained that she believed it was in Xavier's best interests that her parental rights not be terminated: I believe my son should be with his mother . . . . He still recognizes me as mom. He still calls me mom. We walk up and down the street in front of the house and he points and says it's mom's house. Not just for the best interests of him, but for the other children also. For anyone whose [sic] ever had more than one child, and had to go to their own child or take their children to another child's funeral, that's how it will feel to my children. Not just me, but to my other two daughters, because it's not like they don't know them. It's not like they don't play together. Katianne stated she is a single mother with no support system in Fremont and that although she was not wealthy, she had always met her children's needs. They had a home to live in, beds and bedding, food, and clothing. Katianne testified that she had made mistakes in the past but that she was working to fix those mistakes. Katianne noted that the uncle and aunt in California never acknowledged their niece, Xavier's sister, Kalila, on any occasion, including birthdays or Christmas. She doubted they would work to maintain a relationship between Xavier and the girls. Katianne stated that there was a possibility that in transitioning back to her home, she would take Xavier to a therapist, explaining, I think therapy is a positive thing.