My child has met his estranged father after 20 years, they are getting along great and my child wants to ask him to pay me belated child support. I’m worried this will cause trouble between them. What are your thoughts?
Your son’s an adult and he can do what he wants here. If, without your blessing, he won’t ask his father to pay you child support for all the years that support went unpaid, that’s just fine by me.
If the father wants to do right by the boy and by his mother, he shouldn’t object to your son raising the matter with him on your behalf. If your son feels his mother was “cheated” by Dad leaving Mom to fend for herself and their son alone, he’s right. It would be well within reasonableness for him to raise the matter with Dad, whether Dad likes it or not.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the father is hoping never to have to pay you child support for all those years. If so (and assuming you weren’t hiding the child from him), he’s a bum, and if he conditions his love for his son upon whether he pays you any compensation for all that unpaid child support, he’s worse than a bum.
Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277