Pexels/Reddit

Some debts are about money, and some are about years nobody can ever get back.

One mother spent a decade raising two kids alone while their father stayed completely absent, avoiding visits, calls, and even a single birthday card while working under the table to dodge child support.

She finally took him to court once he landed steady work, but a serious motorcycle accident left him with a brain injury and unable to earn income.

Now he’s asking her to forgive the $11,000 he owes so a warrant against him gets dropped, putting her in a position she never expected to be in.

Friends and family quickly took sides, turning a personal decision into a full-blown family debate.

Keep reading for the full scoop.

AITA for not forgiving $11k in child support?

So I (41F) have 2 kids (18M and 21F) with K (52M).

We are on friendly terms, but K has never been a part of their lives, and lived in another state. No visits, no phone calls, no presents, no birthday cards, nothing.

The couple has had quite the storied history concerning child support.

He worked under the table for 10 years and didn’t pay child support. I didn’t go after him at that time because I knew it was pointless.

Well, he got a decent job, and I took him to court.

That’s when life threw another curveball.

Last year, he got in a bad motorcycle accident and hasn’t been cleared to work yet. He has a brain injury from the accident.

He got a warrant out because of child support, and he’s asking me to forgive it so they’ll drop the warrant.

But she had very different ideas.

I don’t want to. I feel it’s owed to me for raising 2 kids completely alone.

This has now become a big debate with friends and family, so I’m coming here to try to see what the majority is.

So Reddit, AITA for not forgiving his $11k in child support?

This all smells a little fishy.

What did Reddit have to say?

This user shares their take.

This man owes the money. It’s as simple as that.

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He shouldn’t be allowed to take the easy way out.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman who refuses to change her 4th of July traditions for her in-laws, sparking a family feud.

This commenter brings up an important point.

A decade of dodging responsibility doesn’t just disappear because circumstances changed for him and not for her.

She raised two kids completely alone while he avoided every opportunity to contribute, financially or otherwise.

Forgiving $11,000 wouldn’t undo years of single parenting, it would just erase the one consequence that finally caught up to him.

Sympathy for his injury is valid, but sympathy shouldn’t cancel out accountability for choices made long before any accident happened.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.