Dear freddo:

I feel sad reading the recent news, that she said that “maybe the kids would go to school in France for two months then go back to Argentina with her”. I imagine your sadness and concern are much deeper. I figured she is impulsive, but didn’t know she was that impulsive. This worries me.

“It’s time for her to think about herself she told me”- reads like she is thinking about herself, not about the kids. Maybe this is what her boyfriend tells her on the phone and she repeated it to you.

If she is that suggestable, repeating to you what her boyfriend says, changing her mind drastically because of what he says, maybe it is a good idea that you do tell her that it is for the best interest of the children that they stay with you for the whole school year (and longer, of course, but one year at a time). Maybe you should make an appointment with a school counselor or some other counselor with her, so that she will hear a professional stand on it being good for the kids to stay in the same school for the year, not just two months, then being unsettled.

My suggestion before that you will be gentle with her, not pressuring her was based on what I thought was a close to fruition plan that the kids will stay with you in France for the whole year and for the rest of their childhoods. The reason I suggested that you will be gentle with her was not for her well being, but for the well being of the children.

Reads like she is indeed impulsive, more than I thought before, that she is not reasonable. How sad. Please let me know of your thoughts, feelings, ideas, at this point.

anita