Deadbeat baby dad??

I have a 1 year old daughter named Hailie. Her father lives about 45 minutes away from us. Ever since she was born, he has only seen her 3 times. Out of them 3 times, he has only given me money for her once. The other 2 times, he had presents for her. I...

want him to be in her life a lot more because I want her to know who he is but it seems like he has his own life where he lives at and doesn't want to be bothered with her or me. Every time I speak to him, he tells me the opposite, that he wants to be there for her and such, but he doesn't show it at all. When I speak with him, I feel like I'm bothering him. He talks to me for about 5-10 minutes, then tells me that he has to go and that he will call me back and never does. My family tells me that I should file him for child support. I have told him before that I was going to do this and he told me that if I do, I will never get anything else from him and that he will never pay me anything. He has a 2 year old son that he has custody of and he takes care of him. Why can't he take care of my daughter the same way? Does anyone have any advice as to what I should say to him or do so that he will realize that I need him to be there for her?

Thank you everybody. You have been very helpful and I am going to take your advice and file him for child support. If he doesn't pay, let him sit in jail until he does. When he gets bailed out by his girlfriend, I will get the check in the mail. =)

If you file for child support he HAS to pay you, especially if it's court ordered - they'll take his wages.

He obviously doesn't want to be a part of your child's life, so let him go. Your daughter will grow up knowing she has a father out there and will resent him for not being there for her - in the end, he loses.

Just be careful what you say around your daughter, bad-mouthing her father will do no good.

I think you should file for child support.
Its HIS daughter therefore he should be involved you letting him.
You need to sit down with him face to face have a nice long talk with him about your baby girl.

Take him to court and get your child support. You deserve some help with your child financially.

Unfortunatly - you can't force him to be in her life - and you shouldn't. If he doesn't want to be there - forget him. Some people just never get that emotional attatchment that mothers do when they have a child. Some aren't ready to grow up, give up their old lives, and show responsiblity. You can't change that and your child should not have to put with broken promises and hurt feelings. If he doesn't want to be there - keep him away and have him make a choice. You either visit her often or not at all.

If I file him for child support, I don't think that much will happen being that he doesn't have a job and his girlfriend supports him. My daughter

You can still file for it - and whenever he DOES get a job - they will take the money out of his check and he will have to pay backup childsupport that he missed also. They will also take tax money from him.

well im about to have a baby myself and the father is already not there for me.. hes a deadbeat as well.. im going to file for child support when I have it and I think you shud do the same.. hes not in her life not .. hes not giving you money now.. so filin for child support cud only help the situation.

File for child support. The courts will make him pay. Here in Ohio they can take your license, etc. if you don't pay. He can't control whether he pays you or not for the child if you involve child support.

It doesn't matter if he has a job or not. I have two children that recieve child support and their father does not have a steady job but he still pays 45/weekly just on one kid. Even though I have not recieved anything from him but it is still set in court and if he gets 1000 dollars behind then they will put him in jail.Dead beat dads are fun I've delt with one for 3 years now. Good Luck keep your head up!