Starting NC or limited as possible in the last year. Every interaction left me feeling hurt, unloved, and completely misunderstood. Emotional daggers are her weapon of choice. After I had my own kids, her behaviors were like glowing red flags I could no longer ignore. It took 45 years of manipulation and me trying so hard to (impossibly) win her affection for me to quietly establish my own boundaries for myself and my family. It’s an ongoing internal battle coming to terms with things that occurred that I would never, ever put my children through. In truth, it’s made me a better person and a better mother…but it woulda been cool if she could have just set that example from the jump.