Child support isn’t just a financial obligation — it’s a system that can suffocate. When someone falls behind, every cent they earn can be seized automatically. Filing taxes, claiming deductions, or even trying to get ahead feels futile because progress is constantly confiscated. The system doesn’t motivate responsibility; it punishes attempts at stability.

WHY IT BREAKS PEOPLE

Repeated enforcement without flexibility erodes initiative. People stop trying to improve their situation because each move forward is met with automatic collection. The result isn’t accountability — it’s financial suffocation. The psychological toll is immense, as hope and motivation fade under constant pressure.

IT DOESN’T MAKE BETTER PARENTS

Punishment alone cannot create care, attention, or presence. Stripping resources and autonomy does not teach responsibility; it creates avoidance. Parents check out because the system treats effort as a liability, not as a step toward improvement.

THE INHERENT INJUSTICE

When incentives are removed, participation collapses. The goal of supporting the child is often overshadowed by bureaucratic enforcement. Recovery paths exist in theory but are rarely accessible in practice. Control, not solution, becomes the driving force.

THE HARD TRUTH

If the system’s goal was truly the child’s welfare, it would reward progress instead of punishing it. Until then, child support reality remains a cycle of struggle where compliance is coerced, effort is penalized, and financial survival is an ongoing challenge.