I might have to stop talking to my mom...

I might have to stop talking to my mom... For the last two weeks all I get is insults. I don't really need it. And I don't take better care of my dogs than my son. She has no idea what a day in my shoes is like.

[Mom seems to go through this cycle where she thinks I'm just great and she loves me and she's proud of me and we're cool, and then suddenly it'll turn and I can't do anything right and I'm the fucked-up child she doesn't like. I know that she does this to all of us, and I hate it. I hate that I still fall for it every time and think "Well, maybe we've grown past it now - maybe this time it's the beginning of a good relationship." I should know better. I don't know why I don't just give up and realize that it's not going to happen.

I mean, I'm not hurting anyone. I'm taking care of Shadow. I have a job. I'm happy. I'm pretty independent. I'm just a little different, but that's something that she nurtured in me from a young age. I don't know what the fuck she wants from me! I feel like I have enough stress without her criticism. If any of her comments were helping me in any way that would be one thing, but she just says shit that seems like it's only intended to hurt. I hate to just think about keeping my distance - especially here at the holidays, but I just might. I have done it before, but it just sucks that I have to do that - Shadow loves her and wants to see her. There has to be some communication between us, or else he gets hurt, too. 🙁]