I'm glad you got something out of what I wrote and did not come away with the idea I'm just a perpetual whiner feeling sorry for myself. The thing is I never realized until much later how wrong it was that I grew up in such an environment where I was automatically wrong - I accepted but still resented that everyone seemed to see things from my mothers point of view and never gave me a chance and that is why all this time later I find myself needing to say it.

I don't think my children understand because they have no idea how damaging it was - I would so like to have their support but instead I seem to alienate them. Another sorrow to add to this list - I do care what my children think as they are the most important people in my life and I feel I'm losing touch with them.