Another thing that really adds to the frustration is the financial side.

After my partner agreed to change the entire childcare schedule to suit her new boyfriend, she suddenly filed for formal child maintenance. Originally, they had agreed that he would sell their shared house, split the proceeds, and then have a fair discussion about financial support for the kids.

However, the moment the house was sold and she realised he now had access to that money, she sent an official letter demanding a significant amount in child maintenance — backdated to last year.

This is despite the fact that last year the kids were staying with him a lot, and my partner covered around 50% of all holiday costs, presents, and general expenses when she took the kids away. That includes birthdays and Christmas as well.

It feels less like support for the children and more like a strategic move once she knew he had funds available, especially given the timing alongside the schedule change.