BIG hugs to you Que Sera Sera. No child should ever have to endure that from a parent.

My mother was not mean, per se. But she could be very cold, moody, distant, and changeable. That was bad enough.

I know she had a kind side to her. She was very, very good to my disabled sister. She talked to us about how we should consider our sister's situation, and how to be a humane and patient, loving individual. As we got older, she talked often about the future, and creating a tolerant, benevolent world. She was as interested in our having good characters, as well as her concern about our education and our health.

But she had moments, and she could turn on a dime. The littlest offense could set her off. And she would essentially turn to ice at times, too---most often, just when I needed her to NOT be ice.

It was hard living in that house.