My kids…growing and growing-and so is my love for them.
Fatherhood is truly an amazing experience. Watching my kids develop into a young man and woman is fascinating.
The time we spend every morning on the way to school is special to me.
I get to talk to them about what is going on and how they are feeling. I get to hear stories about their friends, their teachers and their classroom discussions.
We talk about current events and what might be happening that later on that day at school or after school. We also might discuss how excited they might be about their day or if they are terrified about what might happen.
The nonsense I had to endure in family court was worth every gray hair and green dollar bill I spent. If I didn’t fight the powers that be, I probably wouldn’t be able to take this photo.
I’m glad I can be with them almost every single day.
Great article! I’m in the middle
Of a divorce and I’m reduced to seeing my kids only every other weekend, no holidays and paying 32% of my check in child support. Can I ask how you got more time with your children and out of the financial slavery that is child support?
This is how I did it Brandon: http://www.avoiceformen.com/men/fathers/why-i-refuse-to-pay-child-support/
Good morning, it’s 2:49 am here in Providence RI, The Plantation State. I’ve been paying child support over the last 5 years. But, about me and who I am first. The type of father I am, the type of man I am trying to be for my creator(GOD). Like you I have been blessed to see my children grow up in front of my eyes, enjoying every minute of it. I swear the time we spend together is priceless. Something you can’t put a dollar figure on. I was in a relationship with there mom for 13 years before we parted ways, never married though. After parting ways I just assumed that she would go her way and I would go mine, an of course in doing that we would still take care of the kids like we had been doing. So after about a year and half goes by, an yes I am still right there enjoying every moment with my kids because they were with me 90 percent of the time, but I didn’t care. I seen that time as an opportunity to strengthen my bond with them even more, and at the time I was laid off because union work was slow here for quite some time. One of the reasons why I feel she left and moved back to her moms. Leaving me with them and all the house bills. Well we later lost our house and I moved into a smaller house, renting it of course. An at the time I was dating this young women who I am married to now. So it wasn’t to long before I got married that I found myself in court paying her child support. I was angered beyond words. Me paying you child support, you serious. I’ve been the one in the trenches with our children, trying to figure things out and I am ordered to pay you. Yes, I was heated and I didn’t understand how the court system then, I do now though. My mistake was trying to be Mr. nice guy, assuming that she wouldn’t take me to court because she knew that I was a good father, I financially made sure that my children didn’t go without. Well I was wrong. I thought I knew her and her I am 5 years later finding my self at her mercy to this child support. At times I feel okay with it because I gave it to GOD, I mean he see’s our hearts and our intentions and not for one instance would I have ever taken her to court. It’s not in me, I know how that would hinder her as a parent. I am speaking financially of course. At the present moment, we have dual custody and a set schedule. But, because she gets them one day more and gave her placement. She’s awarded child support. Neglecting the fact that I pick my daughter up everyday from school,even on days that she has them. My son, well his bus drops him off everyday in front of our home so that’s a blessing because I also get to see him as well and spend even more time with the both of them before they leave. Which is usually hours after being home from school. I feel like I do pay double because none of what I do or pay for on my time goes accounted for, not that I am complaining. But were is the fairness in that. There are things I want to do with my children, but find myself having to scale back because it’s either pay child support or say pay for you to get braces. Either way I lose. I find myself not being able to be the father I want to be because financially I cant do both. Most of the time I go weeks and sometimes months without paying child support, just so I make sure that I am meeting my children’s needs when there home with me. I like taking them to the movies, going shopping or taking my son to the video game store. I feel like I am being taken advantage of, because I moved on and very much happy. So this has been her way of getting back at me, even though I never wanted her to leave from the beginning. I feel that her decision to have me pay CS was solely done out of spite and bitterness. Absolutely, nothing to do with me as a parent. She lives a comfortable life, living in a 3 bedroom apartment above her parents. But, for me It’s a burden, I am not working right now, so hiring a lawyer to go to court is out of the picture. Any advice???
Man, that is a tough one. I will think this over and see what kinds of things I can recommend