Recognize that as of now (much like before ) YOU are solely responsible for whatever money comes in to support your children. If or when ex-H contributes it will be like winning a scratch off game. That is how I think of it and how I "budget". I have the child support collected by the state and when he doesn't pay they go after him. We have exactly zero conversations about money - he can talk to the lady at the state child support enforcement about why he doesn't pay. It is the best arrangement to have when you have someone unreliable to deal with.
I have another scenario for your 2bx's next romantic arrangement. He could (like mine) hook up with a really nice codependant lady who has been so torpedoed in relationships that the criterion has gotten to be - a guy who bathes, is nice a fair percentage of the time, doesn't go to jail and doesn't hit me. She is around my age. For this lady (lucky for him), he is a prize!
