We all know the beautiful story of NFL player Devon Still and his daughter Leah. Leah, who has been fighting cancer, and her dad, who was cut from the Bengals because he was constantly with his daughter and not at football camp, but was later reinstated so that he would be able to keep his salary and his daughter would be insured, have been the talk of the NFL for months now. Well, now it seems that the mother of his child and ex, Channing Smythe, has hired lawyer, Gloria Allred, to take the case of him not paying child support. He is apparently 4 months behind and has said he will not pay her anything until they have their day in court. Now, those are the facts. Here is my opinion. Devon Still is, obviously, an amazing father. Channing does not even dispute this. He goes back and forth from Cincinnati to Delaware, where she lives, to see his daughter weekly. He is there for her at majority, if not all, of her hospital visits and surgeries. He has brought awareness and raised millions for pediatric cancer groups. WHY ARE YOU BEING SO PETTY???? This is coming from a single mother who has her kid’s fathers on child support. I vowed I would never put my kid’s fathers on child support if they were actively in their lives and making some type of financial effort. This man lost his job because he cared more about his daughter than his career. He was reinstated and her medical bills are covered. Let me say that again for the ones in the back. HER MEDICAL BILLS ARE COVERED!!!!!!!!!!!! What more do you need?

I am going to take it there and I could care less what anyone says or thinks. This woman is being petty and lazy. Yes, you are not able to work a normal job because your daughter needs full care. How about a work from home job? Hire a nurse to help you and work from home in the middle of the night while Leah is sleep. It’s not impossible. I am doing it in a room…A ROOM…with my two children. Just because you cannot get out and work a normal 9-5 does not mean you cannot bring income into your household to take care of your child. Channing continues to say that she has to go on food stamps to provide food for her child. And? If that is what you have to do, then that is what you have to do. This is the role of a parent. You sacrifice for your children. It is life. You don’t want it to be this way then YOU make it better. If you are unable to take care of this child the way that you claim you cannot then give him custody until you get back on your feet. Why has that not been brought up?

The issue that I am having is that I see it as Channing being a little bitter because Devon is engaged to a new woman and supposedly Channing is pregnant by a man who is not around in her life. -_- We as women have all been there and been hit by the bitter bug. Where you wanted to drag your ex through the mud no matter what! You cannot do this when a man is actually involved in your child’s life and is legitimately helping her. Yes, I know love does not pay the bills but dammit her medical bills are being covered and honestly, that is all I would care about. Do you know how many women are out here taking care of hospital bound children alone…on their own…no help financially…and they are still making it! Sometimes you have to stop with the damn pity party and look at yourself in the mirror. Do you know how lucky she is to have her child’s father in his daughter’s life? Willing to lose it all for her? And you are ready to get him fired over child support??? If he loses his job, who is going to pay those medical bills then?

This is not to say that child support is not important, because it is. But there are various ways to give child support. I do not believe in dumping everything on the man…especially doing it just because he makes a lot of money. Would Channing be doing this if Devon worked at McDonalds? Is this really about child support or is it about parent support? Because Leah is obviously being supported by her father, so who is this money really for? I would have more respect for Channing if she did this off the records and not in the media. Especially with the way the NFL is targeting African American players with any issue that comes along. If Devon gets negative attention, he will lose his job and who will suffer the most in the end? Leah. She is all that matters in this. The smile that comes across her face when she sees that man is worth more than any check should be. It’s sad that Channing doesn’t see this. It’s sad that a lot of these women don’t see this. Looking from my eyes, I would gladly give up my child support that I barely get for my boys to have a real connection with their father. To not have to go through bullshit every time you see them. For them to genuinely love their child. Channing you are truly misguided and I pray that you think about your daughter in this situation and not yourself.

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