[Labyrinthos]

Sometimes it seems that way, but I'm not sure that my mother "got away with it," because neither my sister nor I have anything to do with her, which means that once my father dies, she will spend the rest of her days alone, without family or friends.

[Zevonismymuse]

I'm not sure that my mother "got away with it,"

I hear you. I am sorry that she was never able to make ammends for her cruelty.

My mother was extremely physically abusive when angered, but she was also very loving and supportive. I just think about her getting married at age 17 and having three babies a year a part and I cut her some slack.

The physical violence eventually stopped as she matured. She is very kind to my children and we can actually laugh about her maniacal rages now. I was born in the 1950s and most of my friends were getting clobbered too.

I am not trying to make light of this inexcusable behavior. My children have never been struck in anger and it breaks my heart to see children being handled roughly.