To Lovingly Detach

[MrBond]

"And how would my D8's life be better if her mom decided to get a divorce and be automatically granted full custody?"

First of all, you haven't explored all your legal options. You've only talked to one L. Try and ask around if there's a L that specializes in ex-Pat cases. Yours can't be the only custody case that's going on.

Second, your W has told you that you can go back home to visit with your D, she had no problem with that.

"The concert probably finished at around 11:30 or so. It was in a neighbouring town 3 hours away."

Then this needs to be discussed if you didn't know. First off, it's rude of her to expect you to stay up so late waiting. Next, it's rude of her to not call you to assure you that your D was okay. And lastly it was rude of her to expect your D to have fun with a bunch of grown ups where it only benefited her. She could have had you babysit and not take her to a concert full of strangers. Put yourself in your D's shoes. Do you think she had fun?

If you don't start establishing boundaries now while your D is young, what's going to happen when she gets older? Are you going to constantly give in to your W out of fear? If she starts saying that it's okay if your D drinks or smokes, are you going to sit back and let it happen? If you don't start establishing some of your parental rights now, she will walk all over you.