MustangGal...I was definitely singled out by both mom and step-dad..when I lived in the home with them...but in later years, my mother's hate-full words were lavished on almost everyone at different times.

Really, the only thing that saved me was to leave the area in the early 70's and never live back around them. The craziness with and among them worsened over the years and continues to this day.

I never regreted moving away from my "family of origin" and raising my children away from them. When my children were younger and we visited...they thought they saw an easier life there...as the folks are wealthy and all my siblings had a home given to them among other things...but believe me...one's soul was sold in the process...now as my children are older, they have come to understand and appreciate my wisdom in moving away.

I know that leaving is not an option for everyone but it was the only effective one for me.