To me it sounds like you are doing a TERRIFIC job. on the child care problem - Check with the laws where you are. Here a child of 13 is considered old enough to babysit and stay home alone. Maybe your 14 year old can watch the others. You would be amazed at how resonsible a 13 year old becomes when they are told hey theres a little bit of money or othe benefit to you doing this.

No I don't see a reason why your therapist doesn't approve of the children staying with friends during the time you are out. Children and teens spend time with their friends anyway.

Don't worry too much. a person doesn't always know why friends get upset with them. One time a friend and I didn't speak for a month when I finally called to ask what was going on she picked up the phone saying - its about time you called are you done being mad at me? I was clueless and said what Im not mad at you. It turned out I was having a bad day and she was trying to help and I snapped at her.

Another time I there was a problem with a friend and to this day she has never told me what happened.

Friendships are never completely hunky dory 100% of the time one or the other has a bad day and even the smallest of things can be blown up and so on.

Hang in there.