One of the worst things about divorce is that the entire situation, when handled poorly, can put your kids in the middle. Ideally, what you want to avoid is fighting over your children even after you get joint custody. Making them choose between two people they love is unfair to them. Unfortunately, some parents do this. And in very insidious ways.

Redditor u/Vast-Lead-6027 finally had enough after her ex-husband told their kids that he pays for their home, even though he doesn’t even pay child support. Having had enough, the mom whipped out her budget spreadsheet to show her kids the truth. However, she wasn’t sure if that was the right approach, so she turned to the AITA online community to get their take on things. Bored Panda has reached out to u/Vast-Lead-6027 via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from her.

One mom became incredibly frustrated when she learned that her ex-husband has been lying about paying child support

Image credits:  John Schnobrich (not the actual photo)

She revealed the truth to her kids, but later second-guessed her decision

Image credits: moolanomy (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Vast-Lead-6027

Image credits: Felipe Cespedes (not the actual photo)

The government can help if a parent refuses to pay child support

Image credits: Saúl Bucio (not the actual photo)

It hurts when you learn that your former partner has been lying to both of your children, trying to get them on their side (and possibly turning them against you). That is not a healthy or mature way of approaching things.

The situation escalated after the OP’s kids found out that their dad didn’t support them financially, at all. “The kids were upset about being lied to and the oldest got into an argument with him since she called to confirm. We got into an argument and he is calling me a jerk. My friends are split on this and I am wondering if I went too far,” the redditor wrote in her post which got over 17.2k upvotes on the AITA subreddit.

The vast majority of redditors were on the mom’s side. They pointed out that she did nothing wrong: her ex lied and was eventually confronted with the truth. Some internet users even praised the OP for introducing her teenage kids to budgeting and finances, two very important skills to develop early on in life.

In the United States, the federal and state governments don’t actually pay child support. However, they can help individuals collect it from parents who may be unwilling to pay. Child support orders are established by court rulings.

If you’re having trouble receiving child support, the first thing you should do is contact either your state or tribal child support agency and begin the process that way. Meanwhile, if the parent in question lives in another state in the US, you can try getting in touch with the Office of Child Support Enforcement (aka the OCSE) for assistance.

Child support is supposed to be all about the kids, not the parents

Image credits: Lukas (not the actual photo)

“I have never met a parent who felt like he or she was receiving sufficient child support. Likewise, most parents who pay child support feel that he or she is paying too much,” family law attorney Nicole Sodoma, the founder of Sodoma Law, told US News.

According to her, in most states, child support is calculated based on the parents’ gross incomes. If both parents work, the one who earns more will be paying at least some child support to the other.

“The state has specific guidelines on how much should be paid. They do this for the best interest of the child, so the child is protected and cared for,” explains divorce attorney Dori Shwirtz. “The two major factors that determine the amount are income and time-sharing, how much time each party spends with the child. Child support should be viewed solely through the lens of this is for your child. It’s there to serve your child’s needs. It’s not about the parents and their wants or needs.”

As we’ve explained on Bored Panda recently, divorce does not have to get messy. It’s perfectly possible to separate amicably, however, it requires that both partners act responsibly and empathetically, as well as take into account what’s best for their children.

For one, the divorcing couple has to strive to communicate without blaming each other. They should also never use their children as pawns in their divorce. It can also help if both exes enforce clear boundaries with one another. When things get rough, it’s fine to reach out to a therapist or other mediator to help smooth the entire process.

However, if your ex is trying to harm you financially and emotionally, the best way to respond is to protect yourself legally.

The post author shared some more background info

Most people stood in support of the mom

A few readers even shared their similar experiences

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