Girl’s dad refuses to support her

Dear Pastor,

I am 24 years old and the mother of three children. I have a fairly good job and I am educated.

The father of my first two children supports them, but my third child's father hardly gives me money for her. I have threatened to take him to court, but the threats have not changed him. He said he would embarrass me in court. I do not know how he would embarrass me in court, because it is not difficult to prove that he is the father. I have asked his parents to speak to him and to encourage him to support his child. They have done so, but to no avail. I do not want to stand up in court to fight this man for child support. He is saying that the man who is the father of my sons should support me because he is still going to bed with me, and he does not want his money to support this man's children. He asked me to give him my daughter and he will take care of her, because he is living with a woman and she also has a daughter by him. I will not give up my daughter. I may never have another.

What do you suggest I do?

F.T.

Dear F.T.,

I suggest that you put aisde your pride and take this man to court. He should be made to support his daughter.

You are too easy on him. He is a wicked man and he is very out of order to suggest that you give over his daughter to him and the woman with whom he lives. You would be a crazy woman to agree to that. I am sure you are not against giving this man visitation rights, which would mean that the time would be given to him every week to see his daughter. But it would not be to take her with him at his house.

You are not a crazy woman. The man should give the money to assist you in supporting her. You should tell the judge that you prefer that the support be paid to the court, because some men lie and say that they are supporting their children when they are not. But if the money is paid to the court, they would not be able to lie. All I am saying to you is that it is time for you to get smart and to demand that this man become responsible and support his child.

You know him to be a liar, so you can protect yourself by retaining a lawyer to represent you in court. Don't allow anybody to discourage you from doing what is right and for standing up for your daughter.

Pastor