I have joint parental rights to my children and was due to care for them over a two week period, my ex wife has decided in a fit of anger that she is going to leave the children with grandparents whilst she goes on a road trip for 2 weeks. As this isn't what the plans were, I have explained that the 2 weeks are planned with me. I want to know what my rights are, as I have told my wife that I will pick the kids up from the grandparents.
Without a court order in place the resident parent (usually the mother) can pretty much do as she pleases. You don't have any rights until that court order is in place but often agreements made in court can still be flaunted. The courts will take punitive measures if the agreements are ignored regularly. To apply to the courts you would need to attend mediation with your ex first.