Rob,
How are thing going? have you been able to make peace with the situation? I was thinking of you today. I have a student who lives with the father and only sees the mother every other weekend. Yet it is the mother who is always in contact with the school and oversees the kids welfare. The kid really only mentions his mom and sounds very affectionate towards her. So it seems it is not always the custodial parent who has the most influence. I know you will make the best of this situation. Hope things are looking up for you, you deserve it