I went to mediation today..My ex husband is now in another state so we had phone mediation. My ex didn't call in for the mediation, so the mediator called his home. My ex husbands mother answered and told the mediator that he is not going to participate in mediation. I was really suprised when i found out, he has made the choice to not speak to me and or keep in contact with our baby. I know the divorce is final and it's in the past, the thing that really upset's me is the way he is treating our son. I don't know what to do??..He hasn't given me any child support, i've called and told him how much i needed his help but he ignored me. He wouldn't answer the phone anymore and the one time he did he told me to never ever call him again. It's driving me crazy because i can't understand the reason behind his lack of concern for our son's needs. It's hard enough he non existent in his life and i'm raising him alone. Why can't he just realize that the baby is more important than other obligations. He retained an attorney who is taking care of all the paperwork etc..But i have no money and have tried every resource available but i cannot pay even the reduced fee for an attorney to handle my case..I feel as though i'm stuck it's like everything i do is getting me nothing for our son. I don't want to live my life like this, my son is going without so much. Do the fathers ever realize how important their child is??..Or because he hasn't been around from the start it's easier for him to just go on with his life and forget he has a son??..I know how my son is going to feel when he grows up my father did the same thing he vanished out of my life from the first day. I only seen him 2 times in my life. And i know how painful it was, i felt abandonedd and worthless. As a child i blamed myself for my father not being there..I don't want my son to be raised that way. I really wish there was something i could do to give my son the chance to have his mother and father in his life..I don't want to do this alone anymore i'm loosing this battle..HELP..I'm so desperate and depressed i don't want to raise my son the way i was raised i want him to have a more loving family life..All i've ever done i've done it on my own..But now i've asked for help and it's as though i'm being refused i'm really weak...And lost..ANd it's getting worse..every day

Can you go to your county child welfare office or child support office and have child support initiated. Where I live, for a small fee (very small 25.00) I could go to the county fill out the paper work, they will set up child support and you can authorize to have his pay check garnished. The county will then mail you a check for the support. It took about 2 months for me to get it all processed and to get the cs

When the county does it, then it usually follows state guidelines. If he does not cooperate, that does not stop them, they will go off of last years taxes. They can get it from the IRS.

They dont' squabble about what he can and cannot afford. They have their guidelines and that is the end of the subject

When the divorce was finalized, didn't they estblish child support at that time?

Regardless, as I said in my previous post check with your local child support agency. I live in Mn, when my H left me (we were not M at the time) I contacted the county, they sent me the paper work, withing 2 months I was getting my checks.

It is tougher if he does not provide any info, but they can find out. I don't know if it is a federal or just in my state, but failure to pay CS can and has put deadbeat dad in jail and loss of drivers lisence.

If you are not working, apply for assistance, they get really aggressive about seeking child support. However, get off assistance as soon as you can, they keep the child support in exchange for the assistance, in some cases you do get a small portion of the support.

Jc,
I don't know how men can walk away? I agree w/ Sue's suggestion. Georgia is the same $25.00 to file. I filed my own however and got 24.5% of his income. I have took him to Court a total of about 12 times and have had him jailed twice. He lives right here in the same town and still sucks as a father. I saw him at a store recently and told him he had a week to get her some clothes for school or I'd lock him up. That got her 5 outfits - but in no way makes up for the 3 months he has been behind.

Good luck to you and your son. Don't give up, and don't let XH off the hook. fs