Friday, July 21, 2006

Child Support - It's Time We Take Action to Enforce

I have been a child support advocate for over 20 years with a nation wide non-profit child support advocacy organization - ACES, the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support.

Child Support is one of those topics that no one really wants to talk about. Everybody knows someone who doesn't get the court ordered support and of course the non-custodial parent's all have their horror stories that they spout to support their claims for not paying the support for their children. But when you get down to the brass nuts of it... the average monthly child support payment is less than the average monthly car payment. What is more important, your children or your automobile?

In the United States OVER 100 BILLION DOLLARS is owed to approximately 117 MILLION CHILDREN. Children are going to bed hungry at night because one parent is not doing their part to help take care of their children. If the primary custodial parent did this they would lose custody of the children, yet the absent parent gets away with it year after year after year after year. The average child support arrearage or amount past due on a child support payment is $50,000.

Children essentially loose both parent's when one parent makes the decision not to do their part. How you ask... the primary custodial parent is often left having to work 2 jobs and this leaves the children with a babysitter or home alone raising themselves.

There is a lot that custodial parent's can do to MAKE the child support agency do their job which will force the non-payor to do their part. The first thing you can do is contact ACES and learn your rights and remedies under the law.

What you, as a custodial parent does on your case can make a difference. I received a phone call last week from a friend and someone I have worked with on this issue for 15 years. She had just left the courtroom with a check for $26,600 + $10,000 in bond money that the family had put up to get his sorry butt out of jail for the fourth time.

This is not a gender issue but it is a control issue, and the lives of our children are at stake. Non-payment of child support is the most blatant form of child abuse and it is often aided and abetted by the court.

Child Support : Kansas Family Law Blog

It Has Been Hot... But I Love It!!!



This painting is "A Glass of Lemonade" 1655-60Oil on canvas transferred from panel, 67 x 54 cmThe Hermitage, St. Petersburg. The young woman depicted in the painting is Gesina Ter Borch, the artist's sister, while the young man is his brother Moses.

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It has been hot but of course it is July, summertime, it is supposed to be hot. These past 5 days here in Kansas the temperature has been at 100 degrees and over. Our heat index has been around 110.

I adore the heat. One can always cool off with the garden hose while watering the flowers or take a cold shower when you come back in the house. But the cold is a whole different matter with me, once I get cold I do not warm up again until the temp is at least 70 degrees again.

It is always so sad to me to read about the elderly who pass away from the heat. There is always a mad rush to get air conditioners and fans into the homes of these folks at a time when the temp is at such a dangerous level. Why don't these folks plan ahead and get these items distributed at the beginning of the season? We go through this every year, excessive heat in Kansas is not an unusual thing.

I don't mean this to sound like I am putting down anyone for doing good in the community. I am a huge advocate for community volunteer efforts.... I have been a community most of my adult life. But to me this is like feeding the hungry only during the holidays. People need to eat year-round and they need to stay cool all summer.

So, if you have elderly or infirmed folks living in your neighborhood please check on them and make sure that they are staying cool and have food. If you need to bring them into your home for this to happen so be it. If that is not a possibility then go the the store and purchase fans and food for them and check on them often.

We have to pitch in and take care of each other.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Chiggers, Mosquitos and Other Pesky Biting Bugs



I think I am going to go crazy!!!! I am covered in bug bites!!!! I have chigger and mosquito bites. I itch like a dog with fleas. I have bites in some very inappropriate places and I am to the point that I scratch without thinking... it's not a pretty sight and it is also very unlady like.

I have used every bug spray on the market, including Avon's Skin so Soft, which has worked in years past. I have taken so much Benadryl that it is a wonder that I am even able to function, I do nap a lot.

Spiders have also invaded my house but I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that these might be spider bites. That would just freak me out way too bad. We have sprayed for them inside and out to no avail. My neighbor's say they too are having a problem with the spiders this year.

HELP ME PLEASE! What are some good bug repellants that won't kill me.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Our July 4th Celebration


We had a great time yesterday. The day started like any other 4th of July with our town / city parade. We live on the parade route so we simply have to walk out the front door and plop down in the yard to watch it. My granddaughter thinks that this is HER parade since it comes by Granny's house... I wonder who convinced her of that, moi????

My youngest daughter had to work most of the day and then she went to her boyfriend's family celebration. I really missed her, this is the first 4th of July in 17 years that she hasn't been with us and it's the first time she has missed seeing the parade.... I'm sure she was heart-broken.

This year being an election year, meant an over abundance of politicians in the parade which is cool. I always have an agenda or issue and print of flyers to hand out when the parade folks come by. Yesterdays topic was the enforcement, or lack thereof of child support. We had 18 different politicians in the parade this year. There were also quite a few Shriner's and Mason's in their various and asundry little go carts, motorcycles and little bitty cars. Classic cars, Corvettes, only one marching band, several church groups, the Ren Fest folks... Huzzah, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and so forth.

From the parade we wandered next door and met up with neighbors to enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs, homemade ice cream and pie. It was my next door neighbor's 39 birthday.... boy he's in for it next year. Then it was on to my parent's house for a swim in their pool and dinner.


This year He Who Rocks My World didn't want to go watch fireworks so I went over to my oldest daughter's home where it is legal, more or less, to shoot off fireworks and watched the kids do several hundred dollars worth of pretty, sparkly fireworks. The small children did their sparklers, fire pooping hens, snakes and snappers while the children over the age of 25 did M-80s and the really good pretty stuff. It actually sounded like what a war zone must sound like with all of the surrounding homes in the area also blasting and blowing things into the air.

I had the opportunity to meet some of my daughter's friends and catch up with "kids" I hadn't seen in awhile. I met a very interesting young lady who had recently given birth to twin girls (I got to inhale their smell while I snuggled them). She is an ironworker, 1 of only 22 female ironworker's in the State. She is also a silversmith and makes jewelry and she dabbles in sculptural ironworking. She is a very talented and interesting woman. I hope to spend more time with her and her babies... of course I offered to babysit if she needs me.

Round about 11:30 pm I was done in and came home. Both my 4 legged babies were wired from all of the fireworks so we ate a few cookies, crawled into bed and zonked out.

All in all this was one of the most stress free 4th of Julys I have had in ages.... and I hope to have many more like it.