whoa, some things I should clear up.
First, I NEVER badmouth her mother. She's 12 now and mature enough to know that her mother doesn't take financial responsibility, but not in a matter where "that lazy bum mom of yours ________" or anything of the sort. She's also mature enough to understand that it has nothing to do with her, and we've stressed that to her. I'm very well aware that any negativity projected by me about her mom will only come back to me in the form of resentment, so I respect whatever relationship the two of them have, however meager it may be.
and second, I am not asking if I should report her, I'm trying to get some insight as to where to get started, what agencies might be available to help me, etc. It really would be easier to just leave it be, but I'm not going to let her skate along thinking she can keep dropping kids into the world(3 so far) and wandering off. It's wrong. A parent's #1 priority should be providing for their child, it even says so in the California Family Code where she lives. Once in a great while she'll send cards or (cheap)jewelry or trinkets, but when it comes to her food, clothing, education(which is costing more the older she gets), things that she needs, she takes zero responsibility. She has the money, she just has her priorities completely backwards. It's not that hard to come up with $122 a month, most of us spend that on one utility bill(including her with a cell phone and internet).
It's not a pot I really want to stir, but if we can get some of that money, it would really help us.
