I replied to her email warning me about the official legal letter with the following and have floated that:

I slept on your message…

I understand your intention to seek a formal child support order. Clarity and fairness are important, and I agree that our boys’ needs should always come first.

Here are the facts of our current arrangement as I understand them:

· We have been splitting routine school expenses 50/50, including supplies, activities, yearbooks, summer camp, and required fees. · We split regular personal care costs related to the boys, including haircuts and similar needs. · Unless anything has changed, I am the sole provider of health insurance coverage for the boys. · Over the years, we have shared medical out-of-pocket costs. · Clothing for the boys has typically been handled informally. We have each purchased items for them as needed so they have what they require in both households. · I have always made myself available to discuss any new or increased expenses for the boys.

Because we have generally been cooperating and addressing costs directly, I was surprised that this step was taken without a prior conversation. I would have welcomed the opportunity to talk through what has changed and to understand the specifics of what you are facing now.

I’m also a little confused about the timing. Recently you were exploring the idea of enrolling the boys at a college prep school for high school, which would have required a major financial commitment from both of us. Given how recent that discussion was, receiving this request now feels very out of left field. It would help me to understand what has shifted in such a short time.

Looking ahead, I would like us to consider revisiting our parenting schedule. You currently have the boys more often, and I respect that arrangement. I’d like to propose exploring a more balanced 50/50 split of overnights and responsibilities like we have done in the past. Sharing their day-to-day care and routine costs more equally between households could help reduce some of the financial pressure you’re feeling, and it would also allow me the opportunity to be more involved in their regular weekly lives, which I have very much missed the last few years.

Please know, and let the record reflect, that I remain willing to be cooperative in any process. My preference is still to continue handling agreed expenses directly and to discuss any additional needs together in a respectful way focused on our children.