MAINTAIN MY CHILD OR MAINTAIN MY LIFE – LADIES MAKE UP YOUR MINDS A lot has changed in recent years, teenage pregnancy and children born out of wedlock are as prominent as…..well….. For lack of a better metaphor, floor crossing in this country’s politics. And it is not necessarily always a bad thing, depending who the actual benefactor is…… A few days ago, sitting in a taxi on my way to work, diligently minding my own business, I was subjected to morning chit chat between strangers who generally don’t really care about one’s views but seem content with just, again (for a lack of a better adjective) exercising their jaws. But then again, I shouldn’t really complain after all it is no one’s fault that I can’t afford the range rover I am destined to drive some day, yet, so until then, morning chit chat it is. The conversation of interest, this particular morning, was child maintenance. One lady, though I may have taken her commentary slightly out of context, joked that she’s heard that child maintenance has increased and wonders why she has still has to work anymore. Where another chipped in and said “I think I need to take that man before the courts so he can give me what’s rightfully mine”. It got me thinking, of recent years, women have been crying foul that man do not want to support their children, while on the other hand men, are complaining that women do not use their child support money on their children but on themselves to satisfy society’s ever increasing standards of beauty. Personally I believe every man has to support his child but within reasonable agreement. And no, this is not an opening for people to accuse me of putting a price on child growth. Women stay with our kids, granted, but they also need to fork out money equally to assist in maintaining the child. After every break up, a brother is often accused of child negligence, which in some cases is justified, but it becomes a little interesting when the cash is “no longer enough, food and clothes are expensive” the silent connotation in this statement is, “I need money for Monday ribs, I can’t afford my own air time and drinks at Cappello with my girlfriends won’t pay for themselves.” And the courts will of course oblige. While in the mean time “ngwana o tshameka ka ditlhako tsa baeng” She has four kids by different fathers, but only can afford child maintenance, how does the court determine that money is spent as it should? Women should be forced to submit receipts every month to account for every cent they have spent on the child. Call me cheap, but why must I help maintain your lavish lifestyle at the expense of my child? Child maintenance must not be confused with spousal support!
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 06:11:57 +0000
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