| Divorce is never easy. Seeing a relationship unravel | | | | their child's expenses and needs. This is done by |
| before your own eyes can take its toll both | | | | requiring that parent to make monthly or other |
| emotionally and spiritually. But, it is probably hardest | | | | periodic (rarely a lump sum or annual payment) to the |
| for the child. Many a time the child takes the blame | | | | other parent as a contribution towards the expenses |
| for the failed relationship on himself. It is at a time | | | | of raising a child. |
| like this that he needs your support and assurances. | | | | Initially, costs were split fifty-fifty between the |
| No matter how bad the time is, you have to put | | | | parents. But over time complex systems have been |
| aside your own grief to see your child through. | | | | established to determine the payments that need to |
| However here, we will strictly be discussing Child | | | | be made keeping in mind the income of both parents |
| Support in financial and legal terms instead of | | | | and the number of children. |
| emotional terms. | | | | There are unique rules to deal with children who are |
| When two parents separate, it is often determined | | | | no longer minors, and have special or extraordinary |
| that a child will primarily reside with one of the | | | | needs or expenses, and when a child or the children |
| separated parents. In those situations, the parent | | | | spend close to equal time with, and maintain |
| keeping the child will incur most of the child-related | | | | residence in the homes of, both parents. |
| expenses: food, accommodation, clothing, groceries, | | | | Child Support as an issue is so important that the |
| utilities, transportation, school, lessons etc. | | | | right to child support and the responsibilities of |
| To reflect that inequity, the common law has | | | | parents to provide such support has been |
| established that each parent has a legal obligation to | | | | internationally recognized. In fact, during the 1992 UN |
| support their child, financially speaking. No law has | | | | Convention on the Rights of the Child, a binding |
| made any rules regarding the fulfilling the emotional | | | | convention was signed by every member of the UN |
| needs of the child. | | | | declaring that “the upbringing and development |
| A strictly legal definition of child support is | | | | of children and a standard of living adequate for the |
| “Periodic money payments payable by a | | | | children's development is a common responsibility of |
| non-custodial parent, to the custodial parent, for the | | | | both parents and a fundamental human right for |
| care of his or her minor child.” For those who | | | | children”. The convention further asserted that |
| don’t speak law, custodial parent is the one | | | | the primary responsibility to provide such for the |
| keeping the child while non custodial parent will be the | | | | children rests with their parents. |
| one making the periodic payments. | | | | Well it’s nice to know that apart form endorsing |
| For the parent who does not have the child living | | | | wars, the UN has also taken the time to take care of |
| with him, this means equally or fairly contributing to | | | | the children! |