I'm not a 'deadbeat' dad

Yes, he defaulted on his child support payments. But does that make Hartley Ellis a 'deadbeat dad'?

"I think that phrase casts a very negative portrayal of a lot of parents that actually want to do the right thing, try to do the right thing, but have just gotten caught in circumstances that nobody will listen to," Ellis said.

"My number one job is to be a parent, the most important job in my life is to be a dad."  

Hartley explains that he's committed to paying support — and to making sure his children are provided for.

But he describes "dark days" after his breakup with the mother of his two daughters. At the time he lost his job and couldn't make ends meet.

Nevertheless, his support payments remained the same — at the level they were when he had full-time employment.

In his conversation with Piya, Hartley reveals that his own father fit the stereotype.

"If I could ever put them [The Family Responsibility Office] after my dad so that I could give my mom back something for all that she's put into me...absolutely, that would be awesome."

But, he insists, "I'm not my dad. I don think I should be seen through the same lens and governed by the same system that was put in place to deal with him."

So, is it time to rethink the so-called deadbeat dad?