They guilt you, because they know that it works and they'll get what they want...

My mom's disowned me. twice. For arguments she was having with my brother, that I was a bystander for. The first time was just before my first year exams. I panicked as I didn't know where I was going to live for the summer as I had been planning on going home. The point was that was my mom wanted to act in the role of victim and wanted us to both grovel at her feet really. But I hadn't done anything wrong, so I made arrangments. A week later, she acted like nothing at all had happened (as I hadn't bit the bait...). She then flipped out when I informed her of my new arrangements. It just took me standing strong. She hasn't tried things like that anymore after the second time... because I am so far away now, she knows if she pulls that s*** on me again that I will simply not respond to her again. So she doesn't.