Dear Abby: Stepson’s mom misspends his child support
When he comes to visit us in the summer, his clothing and shoes are always ragged and a few sizes too small. Yet every time he comes to us, he’s never wearing anything his dad and I bought him, but what appear to be hand-me-down rags. The state where the boy lives is not good about giving fathers custody of their kids, and the mom is not necessarily unfit. How can we make her see she’s hurting her kid? While a young child may not be able to do this, I believe a teenager can make a compelling case for it. If Kaden’s mother has been depriving him, it would make a persuasive argument for a change in custody. If Gary wants you to follow his Instagram account, it’s a pretty good sign that he has positive feelings for you. If you ask him, do include your brother and his brother because being with others will make it more fun. A simple, “I think you’re great because (you’re really smart, you’re good at sports, you’re fun to be around, etc.)” should do the trick.