Hi all. I am a single dad with a 4 year old son. I love him with all my heart. I went to Court to obtain a Residence Order, (custody) and he now lives with me. I work 2 days a week as a Store Detective in a clothes shop. I have a babysitter. His mom was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression 2 weeks after his birth. I was working full time then. She did not wake up at night when he cried, she then started to drink. The three years following was living hell. I took her to see a GP, she was described antidepressants, witch she took all at once and ended up in hospital for 4 days. She was arrested 6 or seven times, fined, charged etc. Then on Oct the 14th I went to court the second time and obtained custody. It was like a big chain was removed from my arms. I moved into my own rented house with the help of the council. Now we have a stable home, my boy seems happy. I buy his clothes, food, pay the bills, pay part-rent, Legal Aid, Council tax. I bath, feed, hug, walk to pre-school and back. What a huge job this is. I have the world's respect for single mom's and dad's who even have more that one child. Things have been very hard sometimes. I am South African and all my family are in South Africa. With the Residence order, I can only remove my son out of Britain for 28 days at a time. I have now apprlied through the court to remove my son permanently from the UK.
My biggest problem is I do not have enough money to cover all the expenses. I need to pay my rent by the 8th Nov. Don't have it. I need to pay my council tax by the 1st Nov. Did'nt have it. I am now in a possition where I have to decide, DO we eat or do I pay the rent? I am Tired, very tired. I have been fighting this custody battle for allmost 2 years, now my fianances are getting me down. It's only money, I say to myself to make me feel better. But I can't sleep anymore. If I can't pay my rent, we will be homeless. I am renting this house through the Council's Deposit Guarantee Sceme and If we are homeless, the council won't help us. I hate money, hate what it does, hate the importance of it in society. I can do with some advice. any. I love my son, but I am getting tired. I am only 35, but getting tired.
