And here is your other side
I make more money than my ex, and he has to pay child support to his son. I put it in my sons' account & use it only when necessary, which isn't often. He's pissed off at me because he has to pay this child support. He feels that since I make more money than he does, I should be paying him (we have joint custody at the moment). I am the custodial parent and I have him more than 50% of the time. He owes over $10,000 in back child support...why? Because for the first couple of years of our sons life, he never felt the need to support his son. He enjoyed the extra money in his check so he could go out & woo his soon to be new wife and only when that was in place did he decide to be a father. Granted his monthly amount is not much as he doesn't make much, but he still manages to afford his apartment, his estranged wife's apartment, support of his other son and soon to be 2nd child, support of his estranged wife and 2 vehicles he paid cash for not to mention utilities, insurance (I hope) and other fun things. Do I feel sorry for him...um nah! Does he bitch to me on a frequent basis that all his money goes to me?? You betcha. Would he be paying this money if the state wasn't removing it from his check??? NOPE!
In the meantime, I supported our son 100%. I fed him, clothed him (and I might add whenever I buy the boy new clothes, he gets sent back in clothes that are either too big or too small for him, never the new stuff) Entertained him, paid for daycare, you name it, it was me alone. I'd ask him for money, I'd get $200 if I were lucky, and only when I chased him for it. I got tired of chasing him, so I got an attorney.
I do not "want" more money from him, I don't rely on his child support to keep me in a "lavish lifestyle". I have 2 kids, single parent, every penny counts. Because my son's money goes into his account it's not spent on my other child as I've been accused of. I can't change his mind or his perception of how things are. I'm the money grubbing ex who always wants more in his eyes. . I'm fairly certain I'm probably deranged, psycho or whatever else he & the estranged wife want to label me with. She's not going to get much blood from that turnip! However, with every purchase I make, be it my new car, clothes whatever, of course you can bet that I got those things because of the money he's paying me.
I think that when he's finally paying child support for his other two children with a wife that I feel WILL hound him for more money & use the kids as a tool, then maybe he'll appreciate how easy he's got things with me now. And our son will appreciate a head start on college. Here's hoping.
SK