Should I take my Dad to court?

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Your Dad does not have to support you now, therefore your case is not justified. Why not talk to him saying your mum is unwilling to take all the financial burden/responsibility? If not, take out a student loan and get a part-time job.

I think you mum can afford it though, if she's a teacher, my step-dad works a labour job and doesn't earn much but he alone has supported me. Be lucky that you have contact with your father, my Dad died when I was young from a brain tumor and I never even really knew him, but I visit his grave a few times a year. I never even had a father/role model until I was in my teens, so be grateful for what you have man. Peace.

Reply 41

Battenberg

OP you clearly could not get anything from your dad by taking him to court, why on Earth should he have to pay for your holiday and what makes you feel that you are somehow automatically entitled to his money, to the point you think you have some kind of legal right to it. Utterly ridiculous.

Reply 42

rattusratus

i find it weird that last week i got slammed down on a thread for saying what everyone in this thread has said :confused:

but to re-post on this thread then

once you are 18 you parents dont owe you anything, stop thinking your entitled and grow up - your lucky you have parents that are there and that are willing to still let you live with them anything they offer to help you with is a gift of there love not an obligation owed to you

Reply 43

SamArcher

I almost laughed at this post (sorry), but see now you're serious. You cannot expect your parents to finance your enjoyment, when they're working day-in day-out. I'm sorry, but this is really a "boo-hoo" moment. Some people are starving and you're considering suing your own parent for not giving you money to waste.

I'm sure people around the globe, who are starving, feel your pain. Or not.

Hope this helps!

Reply 44

Entrepreneur123

You want to take your dad to court because he won't finance your holiday? Do you know how stupid this sounds?

Reply 45

Tiger Rag

At 18, you're legally an adult. If you want a gap year, pay for it yourself.

Reply 46

danny111

Original post by JoDotCom

Sorry if this sounds rude, but I really can't stand people who think their parents owe them one.
I'm currently working full time whilst funding my own access course and helping pay the bills at home. I'm barely making ends meet but I wouldn't dream of asking anybody for anything, when I can do it myself. If you can't afford a gap year then don't go on one. I wouldn't take your dad to court - you'd just get laughed at.

Sure I agree with the second part of living within your means, but to me that is a somewhat separate issue from asking parents for money.

Because parents do own you one, they decided to put you forth into this world after all. If OP's father is rich and can afford to pay for OP to go travelling, I don't see how someone thinking their parent in that case should pay is somehow a bad person?

Plus, let me ask you this, if you sometime in the future get a great, well paid job and you are rich and have a kid, at 18 would you tell your kid asking for something "go get a job you whiner"?

Of course you have to draw a line to not spoil your child, but if he needs money for something sensible that will develop him as a person (as a gap year spent learning about different cultures around the world probably does) why is asking in that case so bad?

At OP, taking your dad to court over this is a joke. Makes you seem extremely unpleasant.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 47

Howbeit

Daddy won't pay for my nice trip around the world!

Just listen to yourself.

Reply 48

Octohedral

So much bitterness in this thread. Does it make you feel good about yourselves?

I think the real issue here is the unevenness of the OP's mother supporting her for the last ten years, and wanting to support her further, and the father seeming not to care. I can see why the OP feels this is unfair on her mother. The father has no obligation to pay, so don't even attempt to take him to court, or suggest it, if you want a relationship with your father, but who pays for your gap year is an issue for you and your family alone, not a mob of jealous teenagers.

Reply 49

Hopple

Original post by Octohedral

I don't know the specifics of the OP's case, but typically in a divorce the courts will prevent a willing father from being with his child, forcing him to move on. In this country, a child belongs to/with their mother and whoever she chooses to settle down with, not necessarily their mother and father. Therefore it's no surprise that fathers feel they're being taken for a ride by their ex who just wants money for their child and not a father.

Reply 50

SnoochToTheBooch

no, I do not think you should take your dad to court to finance a gap year. he's already paid for your existence for the last 18 years. if you want to go to university the government will pay for it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 51

a10

Original post by Anonymous

My parents split up about 10 years ago. Since then I have lived with my mum and have seen my dad on a two weekly basis. Recently I finished my A-levels but opted to get a deferred entry to university and have a gap year instead. My dad earns a larger than average sum of money however he believes that my mum is "rich", she is OK, but I wouldn't say rich (she's a teacher).

Anyway, my dad has decided to stop paying for me through the CSA since I am "no longer in education" (therefore a working adult) so right now I'm trying to work to raise money to go travelling in February but to also help pay the bills since its very expensive for my mum to help pay for my trip and keep me at home.

Legally I can take my dad to court since I am still at home with a plan to go to university next year but then there's moral issues that I'm uncertain about.

He said that he is not helping me at all this year but I'm finding it hard to do the things I wanted to do with my year off.

What do you think I should do?

spoilt brat. get a job..

Reply 52

allamarama

Taking your dad to court is a waste of everyone's time, you don't have to spend loads of money on a gap year, there are many great volunteering and travel oportunities in the UK which you can balance with getting a part time job that may go some way to compensating your child mantainance!

Reply 53

sabian92

The fact this is anonymous says a lot about the thread.

You want a gap year? Pay for your own bloody gap year. Don't be a yobbo and expect a handout - any judge or solicitor would laugh this out the court.