Wow - that really hit a nerve with me. I'm really happy that you feel that way and that you feel the mother of your child will use that money to take wonderful care of your child. But what if as in my case - (a stepmom to my husband who has a 12-year-old), the mom doesn't take care of the child? She barely sees her, and we are fighting for custody tooth and nail while the child gets emotionally abused and DOESN'T get the things that she needs? Even though, with the child support my husband paid out last year - the ex made more than my husband? Why are we paying child support and then also paying for a mother to neglect her child? My husband's daughter never sees one red cent that we pay her - and we pay her a small fortune each month. So while you are happy to pay to your stbx, our experience is not as wonderful as yours.