The visiting "wife" said that the husband was always on the phone or at work (although he was not shown in these activities). He may have even retreated from his "family" to escape the visiting "wife" who was self-admittedly obnoxious at times.
The son had reportedly stayed out late at a friend's house; remember that the visiting mom refused to let him out of the house the following night "because" he had been out. It doesn't sound like he violated a curfew, it doesn't sound like she offered a family activity (like a board game, discussion topic or anything), and it doesn't sound like she discussed the decision to basically ground the boy with the father. When the boy and the woman went out to the batting cage, she heckled him rather than giving him support.
She thought that the kids' "chosen" professions of baseball player and singer were crazy. Maybe so. These kids also appeared to be a bit younger than her own children. Did she expect the boy to say "I want to be a project manager at a telecommunications company" or "I want to be a certified public accountant"? I don't think that either of them were in high school yet.
I have a cousin who's son wanted to be a baseball player. It isn't his profession but he is a baseball coach at the high school now.
Here in Houston, a surprising number of high school baseball players are successful.
Meanwhile, in her own household was a boy who liked to cook yet didn't want to eat anything more daring than a hamburger.
What did the Mass. daughter want to do for a living?
OK.