System makes it hard for men to be good fathers

To the editor:

I want to talk about fathers' rights when it comes to their kids. Divorce-court judges listen to the mothers. When it comes to the Women, Infants and Children program, the fathers are left out. Hospital or doctor bills are left to the fathers.

I love my kids as much as my wife. It aggravates me when I'm not included in the things that are important to me.

I hear about deadbeat dads. It's because the courts, WIC, the Division of Family Services and doctors make men feel like they are good parents, and their kids are taken away except for four days a month. But everyone thinks fathers should pay all of the support. I can see why a lot of fathers are not in their kids' lives.

It sickens me to know that I'm a hard-working man who loves his kids but is made to feel like he's just a bull put in a pen with a cow for a week and then put out to pasture.

My wife and I were separated for seven months. She got a child-support order. We have been back together for 10 months, and the enforcement people will not drop the order. I was $140 behind when we tried to get them to drop the order. Now it's over $1,000. This is more taxpayers' money wasted.

JEFF A. NICCUM

Perryville, Mo.