Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but if I really wanted to give my love and guidance, wouldn’t I marry the child’s mother?
I’m sorry you had a child you need to provide for it.
Requiring fathers give money to children they co-create is only part of what is required. They should be there hands-on parenting their own children.
If they can offer nothing else, let them take care of their children at home while the mother works. Or let them work at a daycare helping take care of other children who’s fathers have abandoned them.
Here’s my horror story with child support. Married for 19 years, 3 children. Wife divorced me over another man, no big deal there, stuff happens. Oldest child was 18 already at divorce so not a factor, next a 16 year old son, who lived with me most of the time, but I had to pay the ex anyway, so said the judge. Daughter was 14 at the time, lived with the ex, so I paid the percentage of income that the judge said to. No problem with that either. But....in four years time, my ex kept taking me back to court to have child support increased for the daughter, meanwhile I’m paying for college for the other two and I keep getting squeezed more and more. The judges are women, the attornies are women, Florida Child Support will pay the legal fees of the custodial parent for a $25 fee. Basically they can keep hounding you, you have to pay your own attorney fees and the system is rigged against you.
Finally with 6 months left before my daughter was to turn 18 and I was looking forward to some financial breathing room, my ex takes me back to court again for another increase, the judge grants it AND makes it retroactive for the prior two years. THEN, since it’s retroactive, Florida Child Support Enforcement steps in and says you are in “arrears”, even though it just happened on that day. All of a sudden, in the eyes of Florida, you are a “deadbeat dad”. Then it goes on your credit report.........and on and on.
Please don’t think this is meant as an anti woman thing...that is not my point....the system is really screwy. This is ancient history to me now, my kids are nearing 30, but am I still bitter about the system? Yes, indeed.
Unfortunately, most judges (the liberal types in Indiana anyway) consider the father a cash machine, not a parent. Child support is more that what is needed to support the children. It’s more like enough to support the children, the ex and a little something extra. And if the father spends money to buy clothing, shoes and extras the ex won’t the court will not count this toward support. Basically most women use this as welfare.
Indiana judges are Oprah watching, limp wristed men who sacrificed their testicles on the alter of 60’s feminism.
People should support their own children Roger - I don’t understand why you don’t “get” that...