Topic : 12/25 Parent Trap

The only thing the guy did wrong was break his relationship with her. The girl had every right to know the truth. It really doesn't matter when she found out because it would still be shocking and devistating. Maybe worse if she found out a lot longer. You can talk to Wynonna Judd and ask her. She found out when she was in her 30s! 

If she's worried about the money, she should find the real father. The woman didn't try finding the real father because she was too scared to let her husband know he wasn't the father and lied to him and made him pay and was OK with it! SHE is responsible for this mess. She's the one that lied and she's the one that knew the truth. She purposely kept it from him. She's the one to blame, not the guy.

I agree that the new wife has a say.  She is married to the man.  It affects her life too.  I think that the new wife is often thrown to the side on two many issues. 

So I am the mom of a beautiful girl whose father quit his job thinking that meant no child support - sorry but the judge said $150 bucks anyway!   I am also fortunate enough to have remarried a man who loves my daughter and has met every imaginable need. 

In NO WAY does the fact that she has a loving man in her life remove her bio father's responsibility and the fact that our laws disagree with this, AND that Gloria would support a non-bio-dad being forced to continue to pay is unbelievable!

I don't agree with what Enrique did. in revealing the truth.. he should have stopped paying the lying mom.. kept the relationship with the child . and BOTH should have kept this quiet from the child until she was older.  AND the mom should be forced to repay him without holding his visitation hostage.

The true test of any parent's priorities - take the money out of the equation and see what people what responsibility people choose to take.    best interest of the kid?  or not? 

Dr. Phil - why did you not speak out more on the fact that these men should not have to pay for a child that is not theirs.  If we are going to fight deadbeat dads.. we have to also fight paternity fraud with equal ferver.

Were you intimidated by Gloria? - didn't want to offend her?  just wanted to promote her book?  This may be a first for you, doc! 

Disappointed in Houston!

I watch the show from time to time, and I watch because Dr. Phil has a way of addressing people without being judgmental. My comment is on today's show, 10.29.07; with Gloria Allred. I guess I'm a little ticked that one national story has instantly given Gloria Allred credibility that I do not think she truly embraces in her profession. Aside from that It's incredible that our justice system would even allow your topic today to become an issue; clearly!

The way your guest approached his daughter and the issue of child support in these circumstances are two entirely different issues. Your guest made a monumental error that can never be undone, and that is so very unfortunate; however, that does not have a thing to do with the facts that surround the conception and life between this non-biological father and his daughter.

The mother in this story seems to be in la-la land, and should be dealt with legally. What she did is a crime; when in fact if she had been honest this man would have most likely walked away from her then, and now he would not have a hole like this in his life. Gloria Allred actually appears to be stupid, and her greed for television exposure is apparent to me; I only hope it is to the many other people who will see her on television in time to come. Dr. Phil maybe you can buy her out of her network shares; a thought!

I think that legally the "dad" should not be held responsible, however I find it morally deplorable that he would not take the responsibility anyway. I would think that most Dad's in that situation would have every right to be furious with their wives (ex-wives) but please DONT take it out on the child. That little girl, who seems incredibly adjusted, is much more likely to have difficulities with men because of a sense of abandoment by the one person who she would have looked up to for everything, as every daughter knows. I understand how he could have felt betrayed and hurt, and what his wife did was horrible, but that should never have affected his, in all other ways except for biologically, daughter. I find it hard to imagine that a Dad could turn so instantly on his child. She may not have been his biologically, but she was most certainly his in every other way and you would think that love that they had for each other could not be taken away simply by DNA. He's right that legally he should not be held responsible, but he should have stepped up to the plate and said, even though what you did was wrong, I'm not going to punish our daughter for it. He should have thought about her and her shock and hurt over him not actually being her Dad. She was the one who was ultimately the most affected by this, yet both parents have made this about them. I find them both to be unfit parents. The mother, for having an affair and lying about it, eventually causing her daughter this pain and the "father" for being selfish enough to never look past his own hurt, but instead throwing away ten years of life with a innnocent child and choosing to forget about her.

The only ones who seem to be decent are the children and the step-dad. I personally was appalled by the new wife as well. I understand her saying that he should check out whether or not his daughter was his, because he had a right to now, however she seems to have encouraged this lack of relationship between the two. She accuses the mom of only wanting money, but that seems to be more her prerogative. I think that she was looking out for her own interests and wanted more money for her and her husband in their new life, therefore decided to encourage him to end the relationship. She should really take some time to sit back and think about the consequences of what they have done to this little girl.

It's really a sad situation and I hope that the children in this, especially the younger girl, realize that it's not their mistake. It's, unfortunantely, a situation of adult's not behaving like adult's.