Dear Rainyo,

Please understand this BEFORE reading any further - I AM NOT advocating that you call Child Protective Services about what you've posted. I am telling you this IN AN OVERABUNDANCE of caution as somebody who cares about you and your sister and your personal safety. I AM trying to INFORM you JUST IN CASE things get worse.

Know you are supported both emotionally and otherwise. Know that most if not all parents have problems at one time or another and "vent," however unintentionally, on their kids. Rough patches are rough patches, and sometimes we just have to get through them.

I don't know how old you are or if you would want to go this way if you can, but most schools have counselors or social workers who if nothing else can provide an adult ear that will listen and try to help you cope. Please be aware though that if they think you are in an abusive situation (which can include emotional as well as physical abuse) they are mandatory reporters (as are teachers in many states).

Friends and peers are also "go to" people in many cases like these. How's your personal support system outside of the home?

As redbandit says, "you haven't done anything wrong." Don't carry their (your parent's) baggage for them, you have enough of your own in trying to cope with what sounds like (for now) a dysfunctional family system. Be sure to keep yourself and your sister physically safe - that is paramount. MANY parents under stress lash out at whoever is handy (I mean verbally) - it's NOT by any means an indication that things are going to get physical.

BUT, if they do then find a trusted adult and clue them in. Again, you have to be careful about who you tell because they may decide it's necessary to involve Child Protection Services or whatever it is called in your state, and that can get very complicated.

ALL THIS BEING SAID, your sister's and your own personal safety is paramount. If it gets to be abusive, you can call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD and speak to a counselor 24/7.

If you don't want them knowing your telephone number dial *67 before you dial the number and your caller id should be blocked. There WILL NOT be a charge for the call on your telephone bill if you use a regular phone or a pay phone. If you use a mobile phone or cell phone, there may be a charge and it may show up on the telephone bill.

Don’t use a mobile or cell phone if you want to be sure your call is a secret.

Their site has a "for kids" section that says the following:
Help For Kids

What You Should Know

• No one has the right to abuse you.
• You don’t deserve to be abused.
• If you are being abused, you are a victim.
• It’s not your fault that you are being treated this way.
• It is wrong that you are suffering this pain, fear or sadness.
• You are not alone. Other kids suffer abuse, too.
• Sometimes abusers scare or threaten kids so they won’t tell.
• There are people who care about you and want to help you.
• If you are being abused, please tell a safe person – that’s someone you can trust like a teacher, counselor, school nurse, neighbor or parent. You can also talk to a Childhelp hotline counselor.

CALL 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) then push 1 to talk to a hotline counselor. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The hotline counselors work with translators who speak 170 languages to help callers who speak a language other than English. All calls are anonymous. (The Hotline counselors don’t know who you are and you don’t have to tell them.)
How to protect yourself from abuse

Do not be alone with anyone who hurts you.

Listen to the little voice or gut feeling inside you when it says that what is being done to you isn’t right.

Find an adult you trust and tell them what is happening. If they don’t believe you, keep telling other adults until someone does believe you!

The adult you talk to about your abuse (perhaps a teacher or a neighbor) may want to tell the Police or Child Protective Services about the person who is hurting you.

If you are too nervous or scared to tell someone you know about the abuse, but want it reported to the people who look into child abuse, call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), then press 1. A Childhelp Hotline counselor can make a three-way call so that you, the Hotline counselor, and the person taking the report in your area are all on the telephone at the same time.

Before you call to make the report, the Hotline counselor can tell you what may happen after a report of abuse is made.

I wish you well my young friend. It sounds like times at home are rougher than anybody, your folks included, deserve. I suggest the hotline as a way to speak to a trained adult anonymously since sometimes it's difficult or embarrassing to talk to someone you know, or you are afraid someone might "drop a dime" on your folks and then "you'd be in worse shape."

It's difficult to say what to do except "hang in there" and know that here are supportive people and resources to draw upon.

Keep sane but above all keep safe.