Melbourne

Child support rant:

It has been determined that I have to pay my ex child support even though we live together, I'm on record with Centrelink as paying for all household expenses and the children spend 7 nights a week in my part of the house🤦🏼‍♀️. We technically classify as Separated Under One Roof, so we are co-parenting whilst separated but still living together. It's increasingly common where both parties to a separation lack the financial means to move out of the family home or want to minimise any negative impact on the children (in our case, both). There's no formal custody agreement because we just sort stuff out based on which parent is available to do it. I haven't even been officially informed yet, he got his letter first. I'll be disputing it. Even he thinks it is a dumb decision. He knows he's got a good deal as it is.. I pay for everything because I'm working and he's not, including his car insurance, registration and phone bill because you need that stuff in order when you're running errands with kids. It's in my interests for him to be able to pick up the kids from school, for example, or I'd have to take time off from work to do it, so there'd be less money coming into the household which would negatively impact everyone. As I said I'll be disputing it, when they decide to inform me that is! It just feels like a kick in the guts before Christmas, and I feel emotionally winded.