Feeling utterly alone and overwhelmed. For over 6 months now, I've been shouldering the full-time responsibility of caring for my two children without any support whatsoever. My ex, who should be contributing both financially and emotionally, has completely checked out. Initially, he was the one who took me to court to establish a child arrangement order, which the court ruled as a 50/50 responsibility. However, he has blatantly disregarded this arrangement from the start. Now, he's completely violated the terms, leaving me to bear the entire weight of parenting without any regard for the court's decision or our children's wellbeing. It's a clear betrayal of trust and a mockery of the legal system, leaving me feeling even more disheartened and betrayed. Even if I were to take him back to court, he'd likely claim he's homeless and jobless, using his lack of income as a shield against any financial responsibility. The fact that he feels untouchable just because he's penniless and doesn't care infuriates me to no end. It's a constant reminder of the injustice and imbalance in this situation, leaving me feeling utterly powerless and frustrated.
What's worse is that because I earn a decent salary, I'm not entitled to any financial support. Meanwhile, my ex waltzes in every 1-2 weeks to take the kids out for a few hours, as if that somehow makes up for his complete absence the rest of the time. And because they're 11 and 13, I can't deny them the access to see their father.
I'm drowning in feelings of anger, resentment, and guilt. I never wanted to be the impatient, frustrated parent, but I'm at my breaking point. The weight of full-time responsibilities, coupled with the absence of any family support, is crushing.
I'm reaching out for advice and support because I feel like I'm running out of options. Has anyone been through a similar situation? How did you cope? Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for listening.