He concealed a drug deal behind a lavish vacation for you

But he’s your dad.

He left you alone when you were 3 to fend for yourself

But he’s your dad.

He would drink vodka before taking you to school every morning

But he’s your dad.

He slept with a prostitute right next to you while you were trying to sleep and you were only 4

But he’s your dad.

He was verbally thoughtless and abusive to you your entire childhood

But he’s your dad.

He drove drunk with you

But he’s your dad.

He betrayed your trust by telling everyone secrets he swore to keep

But he’s your dad.

He stole all your Christmas/Chanukah/birthday money that you had saved up for years when you were only 7 years old

But he’s your dad.

He crossed every boundary you’ve ever set for him

But he’s your dad.

He’s broken more promises than you can count

But he’s your dad.

He’s given you money and bought you things in replacement of actually talking and working through feelings

But he’s your dad.

He’s narcissistic

But he’s your dad.

He manipulates and guilt-trips

But he’s your dad.

He’s allowed you to go through life with a skewed view of what a man is supposed to be and how a woman should be talked to and treated causing you to make harmful, dangerous and irrational decisions in life

But he’s your dad.

He’s hit you out of anger

But he’s your dad.

He’s belittled you

But he’s your dad.

He’s grabbed you by the neck and put your head between your knees while you’re sitting in the car together just because he can

But he’s your dad.

At every opportunity to redeem himself, he consistently lets you down

But he’s your dad.

You’re ashamed to bring him around anyone because you’re afraid he’ll highlight the worst in you

But he’s your dad.

You can never express your feelings to him without being dismissed

But he’s your dad.

He failed to provide you a safe place to escape from your mom

But he’s your dad.

She let you drink with her at 7 years old

But she’s your mom.

She blew cigarette smoke in your face with the windows up in the car just because you didn’t like the smell of it

But she’s your mom.

She was irresponsible with money and could never hold a steady job

But she’s your mom.

She left dead kittens in a freezer for you to find

But she’s your mom.

She let your dog go in the neighborhood because she couldn’t take care of it anymore

But she’s your mom.

She lies and manipulates as easy as breathing

But she’s your mom.

She believes her lies and that’s what makes her so convincing

But she’s your mom.

She moved you around from place to place with no real place to call home

But she’s your mom.

She brainwashed you into believing that having BDSM in the home and participating in the lifestyle with her and her DOM was normal

But she’s your mom.

For years she made you get on your knees and serve his food, coffee, and him

But she’s your mom.

She participated and permitted a predator to sexually assault you

But she’s your mom.

She ignored your pleas to stop

But she’s your mom.

She told you she wanted you to feel humiliated and belittled in that moment because she believed it was part of the punishment for one simple innocent childhood lie

But she’s your mom.

She denies her involvement or memory of your abuse to this day

But she’s your mom.

She told you she hated you

But she’s your mom.

She told you she would choose a man over you

But she’s your mom.

She has forever fucked up your sense of trust and self-esteem

But she’s your mom.

She got sick and was left high and dry by that same man that put his hands on you, and you were left to fend for yourself while she forgot who she was

But she’s your mom.

You went homeless

But she’s your mom.

You would starve for half the month because she doesn’t believe in shopping cheap and would use the food stamps 2 weeks into the month

But she’s your mom.

You would steal to eat

But she’s your mom.

She would lock herself away in her room and forget she was a parent

But she’s your mom.

She let you have friends over, party, and use drugs rather than encourage you to focus on school and having a future

But she’s your mom.

She was more concerned with the impression she made on your friends and trying to fit in rather than being a parent

But she’s your mom.

She let you live in horrible squalor

But she’s your mom.

She was so oblivious to your life and surroundings that she didn’t pay any attention to the fact that you were living with your rapist

But she’s your mom.

You felt the need to cling to an unhealthy, toxic friendship because that was the only family you felt you had because she was never there

But she’s your mom.

You felt the need to continue friendships with your rapists because she never taught you healthy boundaries or self-respect

But she’s your mom.

She let you run away from everything rather than trying to help you face what you were running from

But she’s your mom.

She heard your screams in the other room and never called for help

But she’s your mom.

She saw the bruises all over your arms and body and did nothing

But she’s your mom.

She saw his rage and violence and danger and still did nothing

But she’s your mom.

She broke something deep inside you that can only be broken by the one person in this world that is supposed to love you unconditionally

But she’s your mom.

She made you second-guess everyone in life because if she can’t be trusted, then no one can

But she’s your mom.

She failed to provide a safe place to escape from your dad

But she’s your mom.