What was your deadbeat ex / dad of your children like before kids?

[Ionlymakejokestodistractmyself]

If you have a deadbeat ex who doesn't see or pay for DC, I'm curious, what were they like before DC? Were they always a bit of a twat or did they change, either gradually or overnight?

He changed gradually. He swore he'd never leave me. His own dad refused to pay maintenance for his younger siblings, he promised he'd never do that.

He hasn't seen them regularly since pre-covid. Hasn't paid maintenance for 13 years. Hasn't seen them at all for about a year, and will only see them if they make the effort to get to his house.

This was long ago. He changed.

Changed his mind about having a baby - after I was pregnant. Increasingly obnoxious throughout pregnancy. Disappeared while I was in hospital with baby. Wouldn't hold baby for long enough for me to drink coffee.

Eventually left me for a colleague when baby was three months old.

Job hopped to evade CSA and insisted on contact but didn't use it