I just need to vent. Today is my brother's birthday. When my mom found out that he had done not so well on a quiz, she started lashing into him, saying that he "shouldn't spend all his time on video games" and implying that he was stupid.

I stood up for him, kindly suggesting that she not criticize him on his birthday, that today we should celebrate him, not tear him down. Nothing that I said was argumentative or fight-provoking, but...my mom exploded. Sarcasm, "thanks for the lecture"...but worst of all, she started treating my brother even worse. She picked up his bag of presents and dropped it in his lap, then marched into the kitchen and started cleaning up dinner, not even bothering to watch her own son open his presents. He made all sorts of sweet comments-"ooh, this shirt looks nice. Thanks, mom!" and she just ignored him.

She thinks that because she works hard, she has license to treat her family like crap, and I've just about had it with her games. My brother deserves better. I deserve better. She should go to therapy, or take up yoga, or do something that will help her relax so that she doesn't have to scream at us for no reason to destress.

Yesterday, she got angry with me because I wanted to go home with her and Dad after church instead of staying for youth group. Keep in mind that 90% of the time, I go home with them and she has no problem with it. It's just yesterday she was under pressure, so she needed something to get angry about.

And today, before all of the drama I listed above with my brother's birthday, she marched up to me and declared that she is short-staffed, so I am working tomorrow at her office. She didn't ask me, she told me. I'm really busy with school stuff (I have to finish my classes up from a distance since I got sent home from Italy), and I'm not sure if I have time to work. But that doesn't matter to her. If I so much as do anything to suggest that she should-heaven forbid!-do more work (such as asking her to drive me to a friend's house back when I was young) she would blow up. The double standard would be comical if it didn't hurt so damn much.

Uggh. I've really had it. I've cried for the last half hour. If I ever have kids, I am NOT going to treat them like this.

Am I crazy, or does she seem a little out of line?