[Aracelis]

I was very inexperienced at that point in my life, and scared to death that my ex would try to take the girls from me - either legally or by kidnapping. I made no protest. However, as I said before I think we girls made out better than he did. He hasn't seen them, and has no clue what they look like or the kind of women they've turned into with the passage of time. There are some things that money cannot buy.

[Mamzelle]

There's also things that money *can* buy...like an education or a car to go to work with. Look around this thread...there's a lot of men who think money is a lot more important than a marriage or the kids they made. Their whole lives are an embittered, enraged mess because they have to pay years of support for their children. I think this guy you write about owes your daughters bigtime...but if he's a sicko that'd burn his car rather than see his daughters clothed and educated, I guess you are indeed better off.

[mvpel]

I was very inexperienced at that point in my life, and scared to death that my ex would try to take the girls from me - either legally or by kidnapping. I made no protest. However, as I said before I think we girls made out better than he did. He hasn't seen them, and has no clue what they look like or the kind of women they've turned into with the passage of time. There are some things that money cannot buy.

You can say that again.

I think the public schools should teach something useful for a change - most people are scared to death of the legal system, don't know the jargon, and don't know their rights.

It seems like it should be a central element of Civics class to teach kids the courtroom jargon, procedure, and rules, and how to write and file a motion and how to do legal research -- since almost everyone, at one time or another, comes into contact with the court system, even if it's just a speeding ticket.