As an American, I am going by other children who come to the U.S. Children very quickly acclimate to their surroundings, and their peers despite the retention of their language at home and their parents' ambivalence to their new life. Irene has only attended school in the United States. They have now all reached the age where peers are more important than parents. Of course I have no way of knowing what these children think, but after seeing those horrible photos I will go out on a limb and guess they'd rather be in D.C. right now than Spain.
As for Cristina, I don't care how homesick she is. Children must be put first at all costs. I can hardly bare to look at those photos. If they are in Spain that media attention will be constant for them. As for being with the extended family, the children had two days with the extended family, which was abruptly curtailed and Cristina none. On top of it the continual media blitz. Who would want to go back to that? In the U.S. Cristina's 13 year old son can turn on the local news without hearing all about his father and the case. He can ride his bike out with his friends without the stares and the strange looks. In Barcelona they have to remain in their house with the blinds down and the curtains drawn. That's no existence for a child.
It remains my firm opinion that for these children, under these circumstances, they should remain in the U.S. Life in the U.S. is not a terrible existence.
Winnie, I completely agree that no matter what the outcome, life has changed irreparably for Cristina. The faster she figures this out the better for her and her family.