Why is it that some people seem to think their financial responsibility to their children ends as soon as they sign the child support check? I always laugh at people, men and women, I’m not choosing sides, who say, I give him/her child support, what more do they want?
Has anyone ever really thought about what it costs to raise a child alone? Just getting a two bedroom apartment instead of a one bedroom is at least $200 more a month, and that is just the beginning of the additional expenses.
I know in my situation every time something came up, like Hailey having surgery on her mouth, or braces, or paying for graduation, I got the same response. “I don’t have any money.”
What makes a non custodial parent think that the parent with custody has the extra money for these things? Yet somehow, we find a way to pay for them.
Once your children are born their needs are not optional. You decided to have this child, you must take care of it. End of story.
Medical insurance is a perfect example. My ex husband was supposed to pay half of Hailey’s insurance, he never did, he could not afford it. I paid it all, I had to, I could not risk Hailey needing medical care and not being able to afford it. Somehow, I found a way to pay it because it was a need, not a want.
Child support is not for emergencies, it’s not for unplanned, unexpected life events. That’s where both parents should work together to provide for their child, just as they would do if they were married.
Trips to Disneyland but not paying for braces does not make you parent of the year and one day your child will be old enough to realize that all you do is sign a check. Is that what you want?