In a few of my recent posts I’ve mentioned about my child support being reduced by half. That’s generated a lot of questions from readers as to why. So I figured I’d address the issue now seems how the ex has once again recently ticked me off.

It wasn’t something that the court agreed to. In fact we never made it to court – that’s a long story and it was a pain in the butt and frustrating as to why we never ended up in court in front of the judge.

It was to the point where I was sick and tired of driving up North (3-3 1/2 hours) every weekend and spending all that gas money (remember back to when gas was $4 a gallon? That didn’t make for a very pretty trip up and back). Caleb’s dad was refusing to work with me at all on meeting half way and after talking to our caseworker at friend of the court he accused me of ripping my son away from his dad and incidentally being the one that caused the problem so getting our son to his dad every other weekend was my responsibility.

Caleb’s dad and I were talking one Friday night after I had gotten up North and the subject of meeting 1/2 way came up. The only arrangement that we could come up with was that if I agreed to have his child support reduced by 1/2 to help offset his traveling costs every other weekend. So I agreed. I didn’t care at the moment – I was just glad that driving all the way every other weekend wasn’t something I was going to have to do anymore. So I wrote up a letter and that Sunday when Caleb’s dad brought Caleb to me I had him sign it. It felt good….at that time.

Now I’m convinced that was the stupidest thing I’d ever done before. A reduction of 1/2 is a pretty big chunk of change out of my pocket every month. And what really ticked me off is that his dad had the nerve to say something to be about the fact that friend of the court is taking an extra $15 something out each month because I have Medicaid on our son. He said there’s no reason I should have Medicaid on our son. Well his insurance doesn’t cover everything and with Caleb being back on his ADHD medicine I have to have a backup insurance that covers whatever his primary insurance doesn’t cover because at the moment I can’t afford to pay out of pocket what his insurance doesn’t cover. And while it states in our paperwork that his dad is responsible for 64% of uninsured medical bills it’s like pulling teeth to get him to help me pay that. When that man mentioned to me about that extra $15 being taken out every month I wanted to slap him. I mean seriously! This man should be kissing my rump considering I put quite a bit of money back into his pocket every month! But NO he doesn’t seem to stop and think about that instead he wants to complain to me about that freaking extra $15. UGH!

So that’s the story behind why his child support was reduced by half. Let me just say - it was the stupidest move I could of made. But I’ll deal with it and survive. It was my decision and no one elses.