Dear Michael:

You wrote: “her mother has a more hands-on approach to things, an attitude that kind of says the little guy doesn’t need protecting because he should be able to fight for himself”.

What about her own son, a “little guy” who clearly wasn’t able to protect himself and committed suicide? Maybe she should have helped that little guy, maybe she should have fought for him.

And what about her little girl, her daughter? How is she doing emotionally?

“all I know of her mother is that she’s loving and caring”- are you sure of it?

No person is more powerful in a child’s life than her mother. This is the reason I bring her mother up.  Your ex brought her up, told you many things about her. The answers to many of your questions is in there.

anita