"Get the damn child support" — The Real Housewives of Potomac fans react to Stacey waiving child support in her divorce

The Real Housewives of Potomac season 9 aired episode 15, titled Old Habits, Die Hard, on January 19, 2025. Among the key moments of the episode was Stacey’s ongoing divorce, which took a turn during her mediation session with her lawyer.

Stacey decided to waive child support, believing that her ex-husband, Thiemo Rusch, would still provide for their daughter without the legal obligation. This decision raised questions about whether it was the best choice for her and her child.

Stacey later explained her decision during a conversation with her attorney from RD Family law firm. She shared that she trusted Thiemo’s ability to take responsibility for their daughter. However, her attorney expressed concern about the potential risks involved, suggesting that Stacey’s approach might not be as secure as she hoped.

Following the episode, fans quickly reacted on X, with many questioning Stacey’s decision to waive child support. Here are some of the comments where viewers disagreed with her choice:

"Stacey get the damn child support!!!!!!! Enough," one fan commented

"#Stacey don’t be dumb girl! Get the alimony and child support!!!" another user said.

"Stacey saying she knows her husband, so she doesn’t wanna put him on child support but she literally said there was hella s*it she didn’t know about during the mediation…. so you in fact do not know him," an X user wrote.

"Why would Stacey waive child support?" one X post read.

Some fans of The Real Housewives of Potomac criticized Thomas Anthony "TJ" Jones for suggesting that Stacey should inform her ex-husband about their relationship.

"Stacey just began mediation to finalize her divorce and TJ wants the estranged husband to know about him even though he’s not di**ing Stacey down?"And, before she gets a check finalized, which does not include child support because she was stupid and waived it," a fan wrote.

"Stacey cannot be this nieve. Going to mediation and learning he was hiding things still doesn't change her opinion on protecting herself AND her child as the custodial parent?! Girl we can't help you if u dont wanna help yourself," another user commented.

"Stacey a bird with this divorce! Girl listen to the lawyer! Get everything in writing especially for your child," one netizen wrote.

"Oh Stacey.. girl.. divorce can bring out the worst in people. Let the lawyer who knows what they’re doing advocate for you," a comment read.

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Stacey discusses child support decision with her lawyer in The Real Housewives of Potomac

In this episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac, Stacey had a conversation with her lawyer about her decision to waive child support in her divorce. Stacey explained her reasoning, stating:

“I trust him to take care of our daughter without needing a legal agreement. I don’t want to fight over this.”

Her lawyer expressed concern about the potential risks of her decision, cautioning that not securing legal child support could be a "big chance."

“It’s important to think long-term about what’s best for you and your child, regardless of the current circumstances.”

Stacey remained confident in her choice, explaining that she believed in maintaining a cooperative relationship with her ex-husband Thiemo for their daughter’s sake.

“I just want things to stay peaceful for her,” she said.

While her lawyer raised valid concerns, Stacey stood by her decision as she wanted to avoid additional disputes during the divorce process in The Real Housewives of Potomac.

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Watch new episodes of The Real Housewives of Potomac airing every Sunday on Bravo.