"ThrowawayMom773" ? What's that about? Is it you? Is that what you call yourself on-line? If so, that might be a good place to begin unravelling this problem.

You stuck around your ex-mother-in-law's home to collect child-support money from her son? Why did you do that? Your daughter should never be forced to witness her parents arguing about child support. If you are not getting regular child support payments, you need to talk to your ex-husband in private, when your daughter is not around.

Not only did you drag your daughter into your money problems, you dragged his mother and his wife into it too. Didn't you think how Emma felt being put in the middle of that?

If you' were letting your new husband support you and your daughter, and suddenly stated pushing your ex for child support AFTER he re-married, Amy could be taking that personally. It is possible Amy is making those payments, not your ex. At the very least, Amy is making part of those payments.

It is possible your new husband makes more money than both your ex and Amy earn together. If so, that could be such an emotionally complex problem for Emma, she can't handle it.

Say your new husband has a 3-bedroom 2 bath home in a nice neighborhood where Emma has her own room. Then Emma goes to Dad and Amy's 1-bedroom apartment across town where she sleeps on the couch. That is a pretty big adjustment for a young girl in the midst of puberty and peer pressure to keep making every week. Knowing dad and Amy are sending you money every month is too complicated for any child of any age. Its also setting Emma up for a load of guilt.

If Emma thinks she's a financial hardship on her dad, just seeing him would make her feel guilty. Add to that to her worries about him relapsing into drugs, because of all the pressure and Emma is a bundle of hurt, worry and guilt

My guess is that your whole family, including you and all the exes, and all the children from prior marriages and all the current spouses are ALL having problems revolving around the way all of you see money.

Is money a proxy? Are all of you using money to beat each other up, compete with each other, prove yourselves, who knows what else? Your husband sends child support payments to his ex-wife and supports you and Emma. Has he pressured you to get child support from Emma's dad? Is he pressuring you to get a job, or find one with better pay? Can you support your and Emma on your own?

If any of that guessing is true, it could make your daughter feel really insecure. If money and love are getting tied up in her mind, she is going to have a hard time loving anyone. If your daughter feels obligated to her step-father based on his ability to provide YOU financial security that is very unhealthy.

I strongly suggest you take a good hard look at the way you see money in your life - personally. I'm afraid your personal finances are so bad, you are too insecure to be making healthy decisions for yourself, or Emma.

Emma needs a clear headed, feet on the ground mother.

If its any help, at all. A whole lot of people have confronted the role money played in destroying relationships. Don't let that happen to Emma.