Wow...

Just completing my semester in grad school..Whew! Lot's harder than I anticipated. Christmas is in a few days and I am pretty much set where that is concerned. Shshshshs, don't want to give any secrets away!

Been doing research on becoming a Court Appointed Guardian Ad Litem. It's a very long process and the first part is a lot of reading. I have my paperwork, and looking into which court system would be most appropriate for me. Some are closer, but require more, some are farther but actually pay more..So just working it out. The masters must be in hand before I take this on though! Through this process, I have read a lot of nonsense that I have a hard time wrapping me head around.
As a mother who doesn't have to share her babies with anyone, I honestly don't know how to handle reading about alleged situations that involve abuse, crime, neglect, and substance issues. Add a basic willingness to do the least amount of parenting and you have a real mess in the courts.
One area that specifically touched my heart was the area of child support. I knew there was a formula that is in play, but what I didn't know was that if both parties agree, amounts can be adjusted up or down.

What I still don't understand is what I have termed,
"the walk."
This is the move where one of the parents simply walks away from all financial responsibility of raising a child. They continue to live their life, and don't look back. I think those parents don't realize that one day, that child is going to grow up and become an adult. That adult child is going to say, "What the hell? Why didn't you help?" and no amount of, "Oh honey your XXX didn't need help." is going to work. That adult child is going to remember that you didn't bother with what really mattered, which is helping the custodial parent..
So let's take a look at the most basic level of care that a non custodial parent can provide....

What kind of parent leaves a child's welfare up to one parent? Is it fair for women to say, "He has more money so he can handle the burden of caring for the children in all manners financial." How is it that if the father has full custody the mothers don't bother to pay Anything?

Really, if you have a child, you know what it takes to raise a child..Let's start with the basic 3, (Food, Clothing, and Shelter)
Shelter is a hard one. How do you put an amount on what a Non Custodial Parent should pay?
You have to consider what it takes to run that household. Mortgage, electricity, water, cable, phone, etc...What? maybe each child theoretically uses 75.00 per month on these..We can super lowball that in half and it's 37.50
And then there is food. Kids eat like little piglets. Always hungry, always nibbling. I have to imagine that kids eat at least 100.00 worth of food in a month, so lets divide that in half. So a lowball estimate, 50.00
Then there is clothing. Depending on the age of the child, I can safely estimate that at 75.00 per month..So that is 37.50
*But not in the mix are the gagillions of other things that kiddos need. Club dues, t-shirts, field trip money, movie money, haircuts, co-pays at the doctor and dentists, and prescriptions. Then you have to add in all the gas money the custodial parent spends running that child around. So even though we all know it's way more, lets put a figure on this area as 75.00, that would be a whopping 37.50
Ok, so let's add it up..
37.50
50.00
37.50
37.50
_____________
162.50 Total

I mean really, in a month we all know that ONE child can use up more than that on food, but I was being super conservative. If you can't scurry up that for one child, you really don't deserve to call yourself a parent. I mean come on, I bet you spend that kind of money on your phone or cable bill..Or eating out and going to bars. You need to hit the corner, or start selling plasma if you don't have that much to give for one child.
OH WAIT, you say to yourself, but what if I have more than one child? Then I say, the custodial parent is probably cursing your name, cause they are paycheck to paycheck since your not pulling your weight..2 kids, that's 325.oo a month.....3 kids, 487.50....4 kids, 650.00....5 kids, 812.50...
What I hear a lot is the parent who is paying the child support saying, "They spend that money on themselves." Really? You have a boatload of kids and aren't paying diddly squat yet you are worried that your X is buying Ferrari's on your dime..GET OVER YOURSELF!!!

Think about all the single parents out there who are making it with NO HELP>>>
(If you are paying the amount above per child, or less; then I am pulling out my DIRTBAG card and handing it to you.)


So parents, I'd like to throw out a little free advice, raise up that CS payment or you will truly pay later.