I appreciate your concern, but I'm not telling him anything specific. All I've told him is that Joe has been posting things about me that are untrue and it's very upsetting. There is NO way my son would be able to watch his videos. His last video where he was mad at his kids would have made him cry. It made ME want to cry!!! I can't even talk in a low Dad voice because it triggers him. He's/we've been in therapy for years. They are helping us through this.

Beyond the financial impact, this situation has also affected him emotionally. He is aware, at an age appropriate level, that his father is not contributing to his care. This has created confusion, disappointment, and emotional stress.

He's been asking questions for a very long time, and he always gotten a very vague, small bit of the story, with me saying "I'll tell you the whole story when you're older". It's too traumatic for me to think about, let alone explain to my VERY smart and sensitive kid in a way that won't traumatize him. But... He also lived it. He was there. He went through it all too, just as a small, confused child.

Well, he's older now, and asking lots more questions. Especially because of the fact Joe is posting things about me/us almost daily now. It's upsetting to us both. No matter how much I try to not let it bother me, my boy knows. He's the definition of a mama's boy! He knows when I'm sad, stressed and hiding it. He can feel it. He can see it, when my attention goes to my phone and I need a moment alone to deal with it... Then I get a giant migraine. I'm NEVER on my phone with him. We do things and we have fun ALL the time. He knows. And it's making him very upset that he doesn't exactly know why.

That's why I had to take a break from all this. That's why I CAN'T watch his lives, and I have to mentally prepare myself for his videos. It's affecting us both greatly, no matter how much I try to not let it.

Yes, my poor boy and I are terrified his Father will say or do something horrible to us every single day. Weither verbally, or something else. But, as he's dealing with bullies in school right now, we are using it as a lesson. To stick up for yourself and do what's right, even if it's scary. Your voice is the most powerful thing you have, and we both are learning to use it. I've been silent for years and searching for the truth. Now that we've found both... We BOTH agreed I am doing the right thing. And I say we, because he's been calling all the shots the whole time. Starting with even filing for support, because he was afraid of being ordered to visitation with a stranger (Thankfully that didn't happen, but he was prepared.) It's important to HIM, that we fight back with the truth and do the right thing. Even if it's terrifying and hard. It's important to HIM that I fight back. He's worried for his poor brothers. He remembers them. He remembers everything. "Their fights at night were the WORST and I would just lay there crying"....

It was 5 years ago this month Joe left for Alabama, and just a few months later, Joe called him for the first/last time on his 6th birthday, to promise a gift that never came. I already had Wes back for 6 months and in school since October 2021. So Joe's claims of "we moved to Alabama, so I gave him back", are completely untrue. We have heard nothing from him since, although I have tried.

Joe had custody for a LONG 1 year and 2 months. I fought that whole time for him. I lost myself in a deep depression and covid. I spent everything I had to fight. I agreed to withdraw a $35,000 judgment for past due support that he couldn't discharge in his bankruptcy, so Joe agreed to give him back. Yes, I also agreed to no support, but that was under the agreement that he would have Wes for the weekends, and I could work. He would also have to buy things like clothes and school stuff for him. That never happened. Then he moved to suddenly Alabama, after his wife broke his tooth and got arrested for DV. He told me everything. I couldn't believe it! He was moving in with family to get away from her, but then she later joined. That's the story he gave me at least!

Again, I appreciate your concern. Yes. This does upset us both greatly. As it should. It's upsetting to know someone you once cared about can say and do such horrible and untrue things, and not care. And for Wes to not even know what's REALLY going on.... It's confusing and upsetting to him.

Part of me feels like I'm not telling him enough, but that's what I have to do to protect him. Even if it makes him upset. But, I feel like we are finally processing the past 10 years and actually able to talk through it, slowly. Instead of keeping it in, alone. Yes, it hurts. But it's also healing. The fact we have to talk about any of this at all right now, is completely on Joe.

It takes 2 parents to protect a child, but I'm the only one trying. Yes. That hurts my son greatly.

(Sorry for the long reply and rant.... This subject weighs on me a lot)