Topic : 12/25 Parent Trap

Good to get a male perspective on this board.  The Solomon- like test to prove where the heart of the mother lies would have probably produced a failure on her part.  She already stated that she has no interest in the 2 of them having a relationship.  Did you see the enjoyment on her face when he said that he regrets that he cut his daughter out of his life?  She was beaming.  Selina is the knife that she is using to stab Enrique in the heart once again. 

 (Not that I agree with his handling of the situation either!)

First off, my heart goes out to Selina. She is a beautiful child caught up in the lies of one adult...her mother. It was very apparent that she still loves the only father (Enrique) that she has known all her life. I hope she can one day understand his pain and some how mend their relationship. She seems to harbor a great deal of anger towards Enrique rather than her mother. Enrique was being bashed to death for something he did not start. Hello, all of this is the mother's fault. She lied to her husband and her child for ten years. I do not feel that it's right for him to pay child support for the child that is not his and Maria should be made to pay him back. Where is the biological father? Why is Maria protecting him/ was there more than one man? Doesn't Selina have a right to know who he is? I do not agree with the way Enrique told Selina, I thought it rather thoughtless. He should not have terminated his relationship with her. Maria it seems is not about her child but herself. To her its one big joke. She knew from day one it was not Enrique's child, her plan was to make everyone believe that it was to save her marriage. Maria never thought her secret would be discovered. I'm a woman and women like Maria make me sick to my stomach. Take responsibility for your actions. I'm also a wife and mother who like Maria slept with another man. My husband is not the father of my third child. I never lied to my husband, I told him the truth the minute I found out that I was pregnant. My husband and I are still together after twenty years. We along with my child's father  who pays child support continues to raise the child. Maria is not the first or last woman to find herself in this situation. However, the truth must always be told. I feared telling my husband but the fear of living a life of lies and being discovered was much to great to handle. Lawyer Gloria, needs to shut up! Right is Right, Wrong is Wrong! I'm sure she wouldn't want to be paying child support for a child that's not hers. If she doesn't mind tell her to pay Enriques' child support to Maria every month. The whole entire situation is messed up. The step father seems like a nice guy but still the child needs to know about her biological father. Because of her mother's deceit, the child has been deprived. Yet, everyone is blaming Enrique. I support Enrique and any man that is being made to pay child support for a child(ren) that are not theirs. It's not Right, and it's not Fair!

I would propose the following though not perfect:

1.   Legal action would be instituted to require paternity testing on all births.  (this would verify that the person listed on the birth certificate was the biological father) 

2.   Knowingly listing an incorrect individual as the father would be a felony and subject to serious and manditory fines, and prison time.

In this situation:

1.   Visitation rights would be granted to the "father"

2.   The "father" would pay a percentage (say 1%) of any state minimum child support.

3.   The mother would have to re-pay any child support received to date.

5.   The mother would be required to contact the biological father (if known)

6.   The biological father would be required to pay child support: from current date forward OR back child  support IF he knew that the child was his at the time of birth.  OR had cause to know and did not pursue paterinty testing.

That is my thought for what it is worth.

I cannot believe that Maria said "well, he didn't ask (if it was his), so I didn't tell". What would make him ask his pregnant wife if it's his?? Maria, you are horrible! I am so glad that Mia put her in her place. Good for Mia! Maria is a liar - she knew from the very beginning that it may not be his. Enrique should be paid back all child support he has ever paid. Maria should be ashamed of herself. Enrique probably had a hard time looking at Silena and seeing another man's child, so sort of understandable he cut off contact. Maria needs to tell Silena who her real father is so she can start a relationship with him.  Also, Silena sounded like a Robot - like a "mini-Maria" when she spoke. The poor girl has been listening to her lying, manipulative mother for so long, she sounds like her now!

Selina's mom should be completely ASHAMED of herself!!!!!  She has no right to hold Enrique responsible for child support!  She should have never even asked for it!!! This whole mess  is no one's fault but her OWN!!!  How dare you judge him when you are the one that was deceitful, dishonest, manipulative and immoral.  Did she ever stop to put herself in his shoes?  No, because she is a selfish, greety b#@*h!!!  How would she feel if she was the one betrayed in SEVERAL, BIG ways!!!??  She wouldn't want a relationship with the child either b/c the pain that she would feel everytime she looked at that child would be awful!!!!!!  And it would symbolize betrayal and emotional pain and loss!  If that happened to me, first I would leave that person just for betraying me.  Then you add a child to the mix and that is a triple sword.  PUT YOURSELF IN HIS SHOES!!!   And no, Enrique should not have told Selina the way he did.  He should have left it up to the mom, so that she could see the pain that SHE has caused her family.  And you can't fault him in needing time to decide if he could emotionally handle a relationship with Selina.  The fact that even wants to at this point is pretty big of him, considering the hurt that comes along with it!! 

I cannot even believe the lack of remorse on the mother's part!!!!!!  What kind of person are you?  Obviously one that has no heart and has seriously lost their moral compass!!!!!  Not only should the mom be apologizing to Enrique (and dropping the child support request)  but she should be apologizing to her children for tearing their family apart!!!!   And you know for sure that she is making the situation worst by badmouthing Enrique and blaming him.  You can't tell me that Selina would have felt that Enrique stepped out of the picture because of money if her mom had not been putting that idea in her head!  Once again she is making Selina deal with adult problems and once again putting the blame on someone other than herself.

Her claim that Enrique should not have stopped his relationship with Enrique is a load of CRAP!!!  She doesn't actually care about that at all which she makes obvious by asking for child support and continuing to bitch about it!!  But she cannot hold the biological father responsible for child support either because that is another person she has decieved.  It is not his responsibility to pay for her deceipt either.  Though you would hope he would want a relationship with her, does he even know she exists???

Enrique, Selina, the biological father, and the other daughter are the victims here!! The mother has no right to claim any victimazation!!!!  I feel INCREDIBLY bad for Selina!!!  Because of what really in the end her mom is to blame for!  And I feel bad for her sister and Enrique.  There is not a question that Enrique loves her.  But dealing with the pain may be more than most people can bare.