A Bit about being a Bloke: Having your child move in.

Those who know me will know that my daughter moved in recently… actually she was kicked out of her mum’s and has now decided not to go back. I have to say I am truly happy she lives with me now and I wouldn’t change anything, but my gripe is (yes, there has to be a gripe, doesn’t there… it’s a Borg Bit!) the problems you face when you contact all the relevant people to tell them your child has moved in and yes, it would be nice to get some money… please!

The CSA – they treat you as though you are lying! Now, since I moved out all those years ago I have paid on the nose what the CSA have asked me to pay. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I have to wait until I am in receipt of Child Benefit. Child Benefit: It can take up to 12 weeks for this to be processed. In the meantime I am paying out for my child and getting sweet FA from the state and my ex wife. My ex is in denial and is telling the CSA that our daughter is staying with me temporarily, which is rubbish… but hey, look at who they believe! Her. She is grabbing all the money I should be getting.  As for Tax Credit, I think it might be somewhere in the next millennium that my case will be dealt with…

When it comes to the CSA, the man is treated like crap. I know there are some out there who want to shirk their responsibilities, and do so very well. But not all men want to get out of paying anything towards the upkeep of their child, yet that is the impression you get from the CSA.The ‘all men are b@stards brigade.’  I have always paid and now I want some help myself it is not forthcoming.

So I ring the Child Benefit help line and I get, ‘Sorry all out operators are busy and cannot take your call, goodbye.’ No, please hold, nothing. A simple Goodbye. I email them. I get a reply saying it can take up to 4 weeks for my email to be dealt with.  Where’s the nearest wall for me to bang my head on to?

 But that’s what being a bloke is like sometimes.