i think i would bite the bullet and take them, but keep it documented, because after all it is his time with them. how long is this class going to last? and why set it up on a day when he has his children? but vent away, you know it's helpful to get it out.

D I know where you are coming from. It is frustrating when there is unequal parenting because we KNOW that the other parent has much more 'free time' than us. Sometimes/somehow in a divorce we become accustomed to the idea of having 'free time'; this becomes an expectation or something that we become accustomed to that is situational to the divorce, which we would not likely have if we were still married. I have little free time since my ex gave up most of his custodial time several months ago. I had little free time before the divorce. It is normal not to have much free time when one is the parent of small children. I think that the sense of frustration or indignation is that when one has primary custody, one gets little downtime period, and more significantly, we know that the other parent has much much more free time. I know that my ex goes out regularly during the week and on weekends. (Hell, he did this when we were married!). Even though he only has his children one night a week and every other weekend, he will willingly pass up that time (I mean GIVE UP, not 'shift' or change his schedule) to attend some entertainment event. That is frustrating. It is frustrating to know that we pick up that ball for him, and no one is there to pick up the ball if we drop it. But that frustration is founded in an 'unnatural' situation. It is 'unnatural' that one parent should have to bear 90% of the responsibility of parenting, and it is 'unnatural' that I should come to expect to need/want/have 24 hours to myself. But the deal is, as someone pointed out, our children are little for only so long. There is a short window where we can spend so much time with them. I get frustrated with my ex because he disappoints our children, because he puts himself first. But the days my children are going, I don't know what to do with myself. I know that my oldest, in just 7 years, will be GONE! 7 years seems like a long time, but we all know it is a blink of an eye. Embrace where you are in the moment. Embrace who you are in your children's lives. Thank GOD for the gift of being their parent. Thank God for the extra day with them!

Begin, I couldn't have said that better. This is exacly how I feel at times too. I am glad I have the kids so much (most of the time)because I don't have time to ask myself why he is such an a-hole.

The receipt was a referral to a time HE asked for a receipt for non-payment of CS to her. I would ask for a receipt for xxx number of hourse that he didn't watch the kiddos that he was supposed to!!

Thank you all for your replies. I just got home from work, this is why Im replying myself so late.

I am taking my kids sunday morning, and will not change that. I love them more than life, as you all do, and I know, some day, they will see who the responsible parent is.

I just wanted to vent about it, thats all. Asmuch as it sucks, I know what I have to do, and really, I dont mind. I miss them when they are gone:)

Oh my oh my the asses. I haven't read the responses you've gotten, but really, yes it makes you look bad to your kids.

I haven't been able to get out of dodge in two years so I know what you mean.

Somebody has to be the grown up and in our cases it's us. There is is no taking turns because we are dealing with children who masqaraude as fathers. How do you spell masqaurade?