The Nashville Child Support System Sucks

I know what your thinking. Your thinking here's another upset dad who is being taken to the cleaners by the mother of his children. You couldn't be further from the truth. I am a single dad of three kids who can't seem to get child support. I have had full custody for about 3 years. Now, there mother has been ordered to pay but she doesn't. You would think that they would keep up with that over at Juvenile Court but they don't. You have probably seen the news stories spouting record child support collects. Some of us fall between the cracks. The way they get these people to pay up is by taking away licenses. Like hunting and drivers. Well my BM (babies mom) doesn't hunt and she hasn't had a drivers license or any other type of license in years. So, how am I supposed to get her to pay up. Back in Oak Ridge where my brother lives and pays child support they contact him immediately if her gets behind but not here in good ole Davidson. I have two choices. I can go over to Juvenile Court and pay them about $120 to take her back to court for contempt or I can contact child support services and let them handle it. I chose the latter. Why should I have to pay the state over a hundred dollars to get them to do their job. I am already completely financially responsible for the kids. Even when she did pay up it wasn't much money. Not for three kids anyway. It doesn't even cover what I have to pay for their medical insurance. My brother pays double what she's been ordered but for only two kids.

So, back in September I went down to the Child Support Services office to take care of things. I filled out a application, turned it in and they told me that I would receive something in the mail within 3 three weeks about coming back in for an appointment. Four weeks later I called and I was told that they weren't sure why I hadn't heard anything but I would here something in about a week and a half. I called back 3 weeks later after not being contacted yet again. They told me that they could see it but it would reach there system for a couple days and that I should here something next week. Care to guess if I heard something or not. NO I didn't. I called them back and the lady rudely asked me if I had given them my court order. I told her that I had filled out the application and that... She interrupts me and asks me again if I had given them my court order. " That's what I am trying to tell you ma'am". She interrupts again" I'm just telling you that we can't do anything until we have that. At this point I get mad and tell that they hadn't asked for it and that I had it when I came downtown and I would have gladly given to them then but they didn't ask for it. I went on to say that I didn't appreciate her insinuating that I was the hold up when I had been trying for months to resolve this. She gives me a half hearted apology and the fax number to there office. I fax it over and in a few weeks I receive a letter stating that they were going to wage assign her payment and also go after the back pay. A week or so later I get a check for a whopping $31. My BM is a waitress and that is the most they can take out of her check. She doesn't make her living from her paycheck. She makes it from her tips.

So today I called to see if they could file the paper work to find her in contempt and they tell me that they can't do anything for 90 days. Three more months of waiting on someone to hold her accountable. Makes me understand why so many single mothers just give up. They make you go threw a lot of hassle. My brother works 2 and 3 jobs to pay his child support and what does he get for doing the right thing. They raise his child support because of an increase in income. He has a 1 year old child at home and they only give him a $300 credit for him. That is $300 dollars a year not a month. It sucks that he works so hard to do what is right and they continue to hassle him. My BM doesn't even try and I'm the one who gets all the hassle. Is it because I am a man?

No Santa

Some of the best memories I have of childhood are of Christmas. Writing and mailing a letter to Santa. Decorating the tree with my Mom. Lying in bed not being able to sleep in anticipation of what was under that tree. Asking my parents every hour "can we get up now". This Christmas will have a new memory. It will be the first Christmas in 17 years that I won't be Santa. Don't get me wrong I am buying presents but my kids no longer believe in Ole Saint Nick. I confirmed what I'm sure they have already heard from there friends. It makes my sad. I'm going to miss all the Santa questions. "How does Santa make it around the world in one night daddy". "What would happen if we had fire in the fire place daddy. Would Santa skip our house". I will especially miss pretending to call Santa when they are bad. It's not without it's good points. I don't have to buy gifts from me and Santa. This year everything is from good ole dad. I am handling it much better than I thought I would. It's not easy to tell children that you have lied to them their whole life. My oldest daughter being the inquisitive type wanted to why we lied about it. I told her because of "tradition" and that it makes Christmas more fun. She seemed satisfied with that answer.

Why do my babies have to grow up? I think the thing that makes me the saddest is the thought of all the other things that they will soon out grow. Trick or treating, sitting on my lab, hugging and kissing my goodnight. Where does it end? Next thing you know some boy will be coming over to take one of them on a date. Hmm I better get a gun.

So, this year no writing letters to Santa. No getting up in the middle of the night to put presents under the tree. No leaving milk and cookies for Santa. No fun!

Bad Santa

A friend sent me this link to a site where you type in orders and Santa does what you say. It's a real guy in a Santa suit. If you type in jump. He jumps. If you type in beer. Yes Santa gets a beer. He seems particularly fond of that one. Santa will also get naughty. Some fun ones to try are get busy, pee, butt, naked, fart or just type in the word Santa. His response can very when you type in Santa but expect a tongue lashing.Give it a try.

Vandalism Update

The painters came out last week and did a pretty good job. There is still a little black paint on one of the window frames that they need to take care of. Let's hope that I don't have a hard time getting them back out there. The insurance company shouldn't cut them a check until I sign off on it. No new word on court for the suspects. They haven't picked up the adult suspect to my knowledge. I called to check a few weeks ago and they said if I found out that he was home that I could call and they would send someone because it is a low priority. Mean while back at the ranch I'm out $1,000 dollars in deductibles. HO HO HO