I could use an outside opinion because I know right now I'm probably not looking at this clearly. I am an EOW parent, I pay child support. OP has been a stay at home parent for 8 years. This makes financial issues a hot button for them. They are capable of working, they apparently choose not to and live on the child support and family support. A few weeks ago, OP came to me requesting reimbursement for half of all annual school fees. The kids go to public schools and they have never mentioned school fees to me before, so I feel like a bit of an ass. I said I'd reimburse half of this year's fee, no issue, since they provided a breakdown of the fees, but if they want reimbursement for the last three years, I'll need receipts showing the amount that was paid. I imagine the school can provide this. They are now threatening to withhold my parenting time if I do not pay them what is asked. My issue here comes in with them demanding reimbursement from fees paid 2 to 3 years ago, threatening to keep the kids from me, using them as a bargaining chip. That's a hard line for me. However, when they do that, I tend to react in anger, which is just me not responding to unnecessary messages or giving them whatever they ask for. The issue is not at all helping with kids costs. I don't know how to appropriately handle OP without losing my cool and maybe retaining a touch of dignity while they walk all over me. I had a court order scheduled video call with my kids tonight. The entire time, OP was ranting in the background about how I was refusing to help support the kids, and I finally paused my conversation with the kids to tell them to stop, that it was an inappropriate time and place for the conversation. They hung up my call with the kids, and have texted me that if I do not bring at minimum the full amount of both kids school fees for this year, they will not let me have my weekend time. Law enforcement in our area will not accompany me to get the kids and make sure the handover goes smoothly, I've asked. This weekend is when I'm planning to celebrate Christmas with my kids, and I'm now being put in the position of essentially paying for time with my kids.
#childsupport #custody #expense #reimbursement #familylaw