@sophieactual @kara_dreamer It was the story of a young woman who decided to graduate with a B.S. instead of spending two more years to get an M.S. that really got to me. She reasoned that her parents would be happier because she would be joining the workforce sooner and saving them college money, but instead her father did everything possible to belittle her achievement. I saw the red mist for a while after that one.

@kara_dreamer @sophieactual Our mother was not quite _that_ awful but she did sink to some fairly low depths when it came to poisoning our joy. She was a wounded, desperately unhappy woman, but then she went out of the way sometimes to spread her misery around. I am not pleased with her right now.

@codeawayhaley @kara_dreamer Reading a number of the stories on the subreddit prised open old childhood memories in a wave last night...so I think (unfortunately) I am on the right track, and have started to realize just _why_ we emerged from childhood thinking our mother was dangerous even though she'd done little that was overtly abusive.