What can you buy for £7 these days? A couple of cheese holes? Maybe a single sock on sale? Child support is supposed to help cover the basics like food, clothes, and maybe a birthday balloon. But somehow, when someone contributes the cost of a happy meal a week, they still feel entitled to weigh in.
One Redditor finally had enough of the guilt and finger-pointing, and she shut down her ex-mother-in-law, with cold, hard receipts, after being accused of spending her son’s £7 a week on trips for their child.
More info: Reddit
Some dads show up for their kids’ milestones, others just show up to complain about money
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One woman sends screenshots to her ex-mother-in-law after she accuses her of spending her son’s money on trips
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The woman’s ex was ordered by child services to pay £7 a week for child support, which he refuses to do, and hasn’t paid anything in over a year
Image credits: freeograph / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The woman uses her own money to take her son to a theme park for his birthday, but is called out by her ex-mother-in-law for it
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The ex’s mom accuses the woman of spending her son’s money on trips, but the shown receipts prove that he doesn’t pay anything
Image credits: Equivalent_Scene_608
The woman limits contact with her ex’s family after they accuse her of using his nonexistent child payments on trips for their son
The OP (original poster), had split up from her partner, the father of their 8-year-old son, as he was having issues providing for him. But unlike some amicable divorces, this one came with a special bonus prize: a dad who refused to pay child support. So, like any parent tired of excuses, the OP turned to Child Maintenance Services (CMS) for help.
They ran the numbers and gave the dad a payment schedule. His parents found out and immediately reached out, trying to convince the OP to agree to an “unofficial” arrangement because apparently, the official amount was “too much” for their poor baby. But the OP declined, because promises don’t buy school supplies.
When the ex lost his job, the payment was dropped to a whopping £7 ($9) a week, which this dude still refused to pay. So, the OP dipped into her own pocket and took her son out on a little birthday getaway – a couple of days at a theme park. But when her ex’s family caught wind of the trip, things went off the rails fast.
Instead of asking how the birthday boy enjoyed the rollercoasters, the ex’s mother called the OP to rage about how she could “afford” such a trip while her “poor son” was “struggling.” Struggling to do what exactly? This dude hadn’t paid a single pound in child support all year. Not one.
So, when the OP’s ex-mother accused her of “spending her son’s money” and making him look bad with this birthday trip, the OP had had enough. This mom had receipts and wasn’t afraid to use them. She sent screenshots showing just how much child support she’d received over the last year. Again, £0 – which is zero in any currency.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Let’s get one thing straight: child support is not charity. It’s a legal obligation meant to ensure that the child has food, clothes, and maybe even the occasional rollercoaster ride. The fact that this man couldn’t even pay £7 a week, which is less than the cost of a fast-food meal, says a lot.
I get it, co-parenting isn’t always easy, but you don’t have to be besties with your ex to raise a happy, healthy child. The foundation of a good co-parenting relationship is communication, consistency, and boundaries. Keep things documented. Verbal agreements are great… until they magically disappear.
Having everything in writing keeps everyone accountable. We all know how important receipts are these days. And try to keep emotions out of it, which means dropping the drama and the guilt. If one parent isn’t pulling their weight, don’t let them shame you for stepping up.
Communicate only as needed, set clear boundaries, and remember: your kids will benefit more from your stability than any pretend harmony. And yes, taking them to a theme park with your own money is definitely allowed.
At the end of the day, the only thing this mom is guilty of is being a responsible, loving parent who wanted her son to have a nice birthday. And if her ex and his mom feel embarrassed that she made him “look bad,” maybe that’s because the truth isn’t flattering.
What do you think of this story? Was the poster wrong to send screenshots to her ex’s mom? Share your thoughts and comments below!
Netizens side with the mom, saying she is not a jerk for calling out her ex-mother-in-law
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