Fortunately, Ashley cleared her mind enough to realize (1) she was not her mother’s parent, (2) her mother was not in a position to dictate who met her needs, and (3) though she monitored her mother’s overall care, she could not be at her beck and call while working a full-time job. This clarification of thought was a tremendous relief to her. Ashley also found she felt less resentful and more interested in her mother’s care once she stopped feeling disloyal for even thinking about her own needs.
