35... My daughter is coming up on 7. 8 years ago I got engaged when her mom was pregnant, but that fell apart when my daughter was about 18mo. We got back together after a year apart and it was a dumb move. I wanted to make it work for my daughter, but no more. The last 6 months I started a change in life when the mother said she was pregnant again. We downsized from a large rental home to an apartment sublet, then downsized again to a nice apartment, but kinda ghetto complex. Looking forward to having my own place, but sticking it out through tax season while I toss $1k/mo at credit cards... because who knows how child support will turn out.

My "ex" is just like all you state. She grew up poor and claimed she wanted to improve herself, but when she got kicked out of school, she blamed it on everyone but the person that screwed up, and now expects everything to be handed to her. She has shit credit, never pays any bills on time, and somehow still gets loans on occasion.

Its funny how I went through 3 stages.

  1. Love

  2. what the heck did I get into?

  3. Fuck this shit.

Stage 3 hit me like a brick. Friends ask me if I'm mad that she goes out at night and doesn't always come home, etc.. They are shocked when I state "nope". I'm doing my own shit, have my own plan and when she is out, I don't have to listen to her. Just watching the days tick past and the debt dwindle to nothing.

The one thing I don't see much discussion on here is those with kids. I hope I can retain my daughter to not be an gynocentric brat, but I have already accepted that with the way society is designed and her mother, it may be inevitable. At this point she is a load of fun to be with, and I like being a father, but we will see what the future brings.