On a recent episode of Frasier, Christine Baranski guest-starred to play a prospective radio talk show host named "Dr. Nora".  I had something of a problem with this character's portrayal  After she succeeded in manipulating Frasier to get a show at his station, she tried to use the spot to give callers very blunt, black and white advice to solve their problems.

During one scene where a woman who was having problems getting along with her mother called in, Frasier tried to help out by giving her some of the more conventional advice -- not burning any bridges, counseling, etc. It just happened to be Frasier's last call before Dr. Nora started her segment. Dr. Nora got on the air before the call ended and took over the phone in an unprofessional manner and said this to the caller, "I want you to forget everything Frasier told you. I know more about mothers than he does. Here's fact number one: They don't change. Cut this woman out of your life. When you have a tumor, what do you do? Do you sit it down and say, 'Hey, tumor, let's get along okay?' No, you take a knife and you cut it out! Your mother is a tumor. I know how hard it is to look at your own mother's face and say bye-bye, you toxic harpy. You are not hurting me again!"

On that episode, that bit was included for viewers to laugh at.  Unfortunately, kids who are currently being raised by toxic and destructive parents
don't have the luxury of being able to laugh at what they're going through -- or the psychological damage that results.
 

This site will explore some of the behaviors of abusive parents and that resulting psychological damage.  Due to more emphasis being placed on certain destructive parental behaviors in the media and through help centers, this site will focus more on the less explored types of abuse.  Below is a list of which ones are covered on this site, and which aren't.
 

Covered:

Emotional abuse
Financial manipulation/control
Emotional manipulation/control
Neglect of physical abuse*
Neglect of emotional abuse*
Neglect of sexual abuse*
 

Explaining the asterisked behaviors:

*Neglect of abuse -- Webster's defines the term "neglect" as 1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight 2. to be remiss in care for or treatment of and a host of various other definitions. You probably get the idea of what that means in regards to a child. The difference between neglect of physical abuse from regular neglect now becomes clear. Neglect in itself, is not paying attention to a child's welfare and/or activities. Neglect of abuse is when one parent denies, ignores, allows, or condones the fact that the other parent is abusing the child. This is very common in households in which there are two parents and there is abuse going on. It often has to do with the fact that the parents are unhappy with their relationship (or mockery thereof), and decide to take it out on their child(ren), either by direct abuse or not intervening when the other parent does it. This is one reason the cycle of abuse continues, and a major reason why the child thinks such abuse is ok, observing the parent's lack of interference. Because there are two parents, the household attracts less attention, allowing the cycle of abuse to go on much longer than it might in a single parent situation. This is why an abused child who grows up in the abusive household with two parents is slightly more likely to become abusive towards his/her own children, allowing the cycle to cross over to the next generation.
 
 
 
 

Not covered:

Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect

These three forms of abuse are the most commonly reported, because they are far easier to detect than the ones covered on this site.  There's also more material on these on the WWW.  I've picked out some of the most helpful and effective pages on the web to help deal with these problems and offered links to them.