Do you know what it feels like to pull into your driveway, when you have all your windows in car rolled up, and all windows in house are shut but you feel like you can't have your car radio on because "they" will hear it. Something will be wrong with the music, it is bad, and you will get an evil glance for it. So you shut your car radio off.

Do you know what it feels like to not turn your car headlights on until you are far away from the house because they will be able to "see" you.?

Do you know what its like to feel like you can't wear makeup or dress up because they will think you are doing something bad like "going out on a date, or out drinking" ?

Do you know what its like to watch tv in your bedroom with the bedroom door shut and you have to keep volume really low because someone on the tv might say a swear word such as "hell" and you don't want them to hear the swear??

Do you know what its like to want to buy wine (one bottle every 6 months) and can't because they will get embarrassed mean faces and glare at you?

Do you know what its like to hide trash in your bedroom and only put it outside in trash can when "they" are not home because they may look through your trash. Or you are so paranoid you think they will look through trash???

Do you know what its like to drink half a glass of water, then leave the house, and when you get back home you have to throw the water out and get new water because you are afraid "she" poisoned it or put some kind of pill in it????

Do you know what its like to only talk on phone when they are not home because you are afraid they will listen outside your door?? They will wonder who you are talking to ?

Do you know what its like to be afraid to discipline your child because whenever you do (taking their ipod away) your child screams and "they" come running to yell at you (even though it was YOUR OWN child you were trying to discipline) ? Get sent to your bedroom and told you are kicked out of house because YOUR child got mad when you took something away from them, so YOU got told to "GO TO YOUR ROOM!!!!"?????

Do you know what its like to feel trapped, frustrated, no way out, not enough money?

Do you know what its like to be sitting in your car outside the house and when you look at the house you see "him" looking out the window and the look on his face makes you think that your car is on fire, so you jump out of your car??????

Do you know whats its like to walk on eggshells all day, afraid to even drop a napkin because the sound will be too loud and someone will come running and yell at you???

Do you know what its like to be treated like crap by your own kids because thats how they were taught to treat you?

Do you know what its like to give up and let your kids do whatever they want because you know if you try to tell them to do something or try to discipline them by taking something away you will get yelled at, get evil looks for a week, and told you are kicked out, and told you need to be committed because of it??????

Yeah I am talking about my parents. And I am 45!!!
(no, I have not always lived with them!)