I know that this sounds cliché, but TOXIC PARENTS by Dr. Susan Forward really changed my life. I used to believe that I had to be the caretaker in my family, that I had to make sure everyone else was okay except for myself, that if I didn’t do these things everything would fall apart and it would be my fault. The worst part was, I thought this was normal.

But, hey! It turns out that guilting your kid about everything and using her as your crutch isn’t normal! Thank god.

I admit, it took me a very long time to finish this book, because I kept having to put it down for a few days. It was like TOXIC PARENTS was written for me and about me. And, let me tell you, that kind of hurts sometimes. Especially realizing that your parents weren’t actually perfect. I admit, I cried more than once.

Anyone whose parents are manipulative people should read this book. It really honestly helps, both yourself and your relationship with your parents. It’s amazing.