As I watched Dr. Phil yesterday I realized that I am not alone in the frustrations I am dealing with as a blended family. However, what does one do.... run or stay and try to make it work. I have been living with my boyfriend for just over 3 years now. My two teenage children live with us as well and we have visitation with my boyfriends 8 year old son every other weekend. Among many frustrations in a situation like this the one I speak of today is the all mighty child support issue. I feel as if the court system has established child support in such a way that a man who has had a previous relationship that produced a child is prevented from being able to move forward because of financial handcuffs that are unfairly placed upon the man. I currently support our family by myself. You ask why?? Well December two years ago my boyfriend lost his state job along with many others who are victims of our current economy crisis. The child support payments established by the court system were based on that income. My boyfriend now works a job that pays much less. 75% of his current income is now paid out in child support and their is nothing we can do. FYI.... the courts will not lower child support payments that are reasonable. What I mean by that is his child support was never extremely high but it is high to us when it now takes 75% of his gross income. We as well recieve endless phone calls asking for more things by his ex to include running out and picking up tylenol when the child is sick and paying for all extra curricular activities to include sports, field trips, book fair at school etc. I not only pay all the bilss in our house but I as well many times use my own money to help meet these obligations to his child. We also face questions from his son's mother if we go anywhere at all when their son is visitng ie. movies, zoo, skating etc. She will call us and ask us how do we have the money to do these things. This is so ridiculous. FYI.... my boyfriend is unable to get a second job becuase where we live there are no jobs. If you have a job at all even part time around these parts then your lucky. Is all this fair because I feel we should have the ability to have a life as a family alos. As well his ex has a man that she lives with and she does extremely wll but of course that is none of our business. It seems as if because she has custody and we only have visitation then our life is up to be scrutinized!!!!!