Ask Amy: ‘Mean’ mom has extreme regrets
Dear Amy: I am married with two children – a daughter who is 15 and a younger kiddo who is five.
I am sometimes a mean mom. I am impatient and I yell – often during fights or when my big kid is challenging me or not listening. This results in her crying.
This happens almost daily, and has happened for years.
I am not proud of my actions. I am filled with shame and sadness over the way I have handled things and the emotional damage I have caused.
I worry that this has caused her to be insecure and not as outgoing or happy as she could've been with a nicer mom.
I feel like once she goes to college I will have missed my chance to heal my relationship and help her feel more confident and have better self-esteem.
I think if I had not been so mean, she would've blossomed into a more confident young woman.
I also think that she is suffering from depression.
Every time I make her cry, I feel awful.
What should I do?
...continued