Hello, my name is Erica. I am a mother of a son who is struggling financially to maintain his rights as a father. He has been brought back to court yet again by his child’s other parent. Yet again, she is attempting to gain sole legal custody and primary placement of the minor child. They currently have 50/50 and joint custody. This child is currently 5 years old. It is the worst case that the county has seen to date with well over 450 filings in such a short time. On our side of the family, they have almost bankrupted 3 generations. My son and our entire family have to continue to purchase my son’s right to be a father. My son, for his child, continues to give up everything to stay a part of his life. He had a manager position that paid well and had so much going for him. The hours, though, and him missing a few key things with his son, he gave it up, moved closer to his child, and took a different job with a set schedule. Despite basically being told that he shouldn’t even work on the weeks he has his son. I have cancer, and I work full-time just to help pay court and attorney fees. Most people think, oh, he has to be a deadbeat dad, he’s never around for his kid, when in reality… he busts his ass working to pay for the right to spend whatever time humanly possible, and it’s used against him. He was managing a restaurant, and if his bartender calls in or does a no-show, my son is penalized because he couldn’t make a parent-teacher conference. Yet, the mother simply doesn’t show up for several child exchanges, forfeiting an entire week of her parenting time, and gets to pick and choose when to be a parent, belittle, slander, and make derogatory remarks to him. All while my grandson comes home calling his father names, belittling his father, and saying he doesn’t want to be a screw-up like him. In the same breath, asking to stay with him and not go back to his mom’s. Despite this, we all, especially my son, reassure him that he’s not mad at him, explain that he knows these are not his words, and not to worry, he will always try to support a positive relationship between mother and son. As we all do and have for years, despite our personal feelings towards the woman.
I’m not sure what else to say or do. I’m reaching out for help for me and my family to help my son keep his family, his heart, and his soul—HIS SON.
With court orders and proceedings, he is not allowed to post anything on social media. I have not been asked to do this on his behalf either.
We need help to support my son through this ordeal so he will be able to maintain his relationship with his child.
