Thanks Cali i have taken all those points into consideration, i do take an interest in Melissa's life, but you know sometimes we all slip a little, maybe i need to make a more conscious effort to do just that, thanks for the tips, I am more than happy to go shopping with her, but she does not really want to go anymore with mum, mainly her friends, something that i really miss too, she has some birthday money to spend, so that would be a good opportunity for us to go out together and do some retail therapy.

I really do hope it is just a phase as simple as that, but i do realise it is not something i can accept as just that, and need to take action regardless of the reason behind it all.

She does have an unhealthy obession with the darker side of things, IMO, i have always worried about that, and it only surfaced in the last year or so, before that she was more interested in volunteering with cats etc, i think i also need to get her more involved in recreation, like sports and the like again, we had decided to have a year off, but i know think this may have been a serious mistake.