Thanks. I was a really good kid. You could not punish me anymore than I would punish myself. I survived with very little emotional or financial support - my dad gave his all to the step family. My dad treated me like s*** they followed his lead and no one would stand up to him... My stepmother would leave me notes telling me how much she loved me. Her own children were spoiled and she knew it..she would acknowledge what a good person I was when no one else was listening. I do have a much better relationship with my stepfamily (stepmom has passed away)..but the walls are still up a bit..and they have their own issues. Sometimes I still feel like they fall into that old way of thinking of me, the way my dad did. I try not to blame them for "who they are"..it's not their fault my father was a p***k. I do have understanding from outside support.