5. Why was Grace so reserved? Why was she so hard on Copper?

[Margaret]

I believe she was just plain scared. From the little insights we get into Grace's mind I feel that she blames herself for Julie's mistakes/and running off. She thinks perhaps had she done something differently Julie would still be alive and that she has to protect Copper. The problem is with being so hard on Copper without the appropriate communication, she is just pushing her further away.

[Amy]

I have to wholeheartedly agree with everything Margaret said: afraid to love, had been hurt in the past, feelings of inadequacy, abandonment.
As for being to hard on Copper, she'd never had any experience raising a child, especially one that was not her own, not knowing how to cook. I'm sure she was afraid that if she loved them, showed she loved them, they'd die, or make her leave. What physical tie did she have to Will or Copper until the twins came along? By then the environment had been set stiffly. And the love was unknown.