A listener writes in with this dilemma:
I have a stepson who lives with his mom in Toronto but my husband and I have him every summer for July and most of August. The last couple of years when he’s arrived he’s wearing old hand me downs that are too small for him and nothing else in his backpack, even though his dad pays fairly hefty child support that is supposed to cover clothing so we take him out and buy him a new wardrobe every summer.
Then the next summer he arrives with none of the clothes we bought him the previous year in his luggage. We even buy him slighter larger sizes so he won’t outgrow them too quickly, but to be honest he’s not reached the age where the growth spurts kick in.
I have a divorced friend with a couple of kids and she tells me this is an old trick – always send your kids for their summer visit in their worst clothes so dad has to buy them a new wardrobe. This friend also told me of one case where the new mom took the clothes back to the store and bought something for themselves.
How do we address this problem without hurting the boy or is this just the new reality in divorced households?
Head over to our Facebook page to offer your advice and listen Thursday morning at 7:40 when we discuss this
If you have a dilemma for our listeners click on Mike Richards above to send an email.
