Dear Aunt Silvia

I am a single mother of one. I graduated from college a few months ago and I have a three month old baby girl. The father of my baby refused to take care of me while I was expecting and even after the baby was born. Since I have not yet got a job, and my parents are still educating my younger siblings, I decided to get in touch with him so that he can help me.

But what shocked me is that he said he will never help the child for as long as she is with me, he can only do so when I give the baby to him.  I find this very disturbing. Please, help me. I am torn between giving up my baby to her father and taking care of it in all the difficulties am going through.

Mignone

Dear Mignone,
I understand the agony you are going through as a mother with the possibility of giving up your child because you cannot take care of her. It is unfortunate that the father of your baby is taking advantage of your inability to provide for the baby so that he can deny you the right of motherhood, more especially at this tender age when the baby needs you the most.

You have two options here. Either for fear of losing your daughter to this man you continue struggling until the day you get yourself a job, after all you are a college graduate.

Or take him to court. In fact it is just as good that he acknowledges that the baby is his, this way you will have it easy proving to the court of law that indeed he is the biological father of your daughter and he needs to play the role of a father in your daughter’s life in monetary terms.
 In some situations the man might ask the court to grant him time in a week to be with his daughter. But then, that is the price you will have to pay. Otherwise I wish you the best in your future endeavours.

Ends