Being sequestered with my husband and children has made me reflect on my family and childhood. I’m a new listener, but when I heard you say “turning your child into your ‘friend’ is a form of child abuse” it hit me hard.
My mother had groomed me to be her best friend and confidant. She even dressed me in adult clothes and hairstyles, since I was tall and could pass as an adult. I thought I was grown up and privileged to have a mother who was my friend. When I heard you say that was abuse, I realized to what extent my mother had used me. Instead of going to her peers with her problems, she unloaded on me. She told me things about my father, relatives, and friends I wish I never knew, and introduced me to situations I would never dream of putting my own children in. As a result, I haven’t been close to my mother in years.
Your words reinforced my need to stay away from her. You and your show have given me the positive messages of protection and caring I didn’t receive as a child. My husband of 15 years and our two children also have given me that strong foundation. My mother squandered so many relationships. Now it’s my privilege to protect my children and be a loving wife.
Linda
My Mother Should Not Have Been My Friend
