Posted by Dinah on May 30, 2011, at 15:52:17
In reply to Too Much Mom, Not Enough of My T, posted by TherapyGirl on May 26, 2011, at 20:42:25
Well, maybe I'm a cold and unnatural daughter. But...
Abusive parents, in the words of Dr. Laura, tear up their parenting cards. I don't know if respecting your parents requires that you jeopardize your mental health to spend time with an abusive parent. My mother wasn't even abusive, but there is a limit to the amount of time I'm willing (or able) to spend with her. Maybe that's awful of me, but... I'd have given my right hand for my father, and spent time with him no matter how difficult he was. But spending time with my mother takes from me more than I can spare in any great quantity.
Is it really your siblings responsibility to spend that much time with her? Doesn't she bear some responsibility herself? Does she have a church or is she part of some social group? Maybe it's time to encourage her to rejoin her peers.
Again, perhaps I'm an unnatural and unkind person.
poster:Dinah
thread:986310
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20110511/msgs/986660.html