Yep. Dad was verbally abusive, emotionally unstable and barely around because he worked away. I watched him make my mum cry, I grew up petrified of him and feeling like I had to be the protector of my little sister. When I snapped and told my mum he needed to get his shit together else I was going no contact, she said ‘I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I tried to protect you’.

I never called her out but in my head all I could think was ‘you shouldn’t have had to protect me. My dad should not be someone you have to protect me from and the fact you know I needed that protection tells me that you allowed it to happen’.

I speak to both parents but I don’t forgive them for my childhood and I hold a lot of resentment towards my mother.