Dear Thelma: My mother hates me and my family doesn’t care

I used to be very close with my mother when I was young, but slowly that love has turned into bitter hatred. Time and again, I have seen her side with my sister and talk about her in a more positive light. I am always the bad one, no matter what I do to please her. It took me many years to accept that I will never be good enough for her, and I’ve learned to distance myself from her.

At the same time, I have ceased giving her money since she made it very clear who she loves more. To her, financial support equals love. When I slowly gave her less money, she became increasingly hostile with her words. She made it clear that I was not worth anything to her. But she gets generous allowances and gifts from my father and sister so she’s never short of comforts.