Growing up Dysfunctional

Oprah did a show yesterday on the children of the woman who kidnapped and tortured Elizabeth Smart yesterday. I found it SO fascinating.

I rarely see families that are as dysfunctional as my husband's family, so this was a very interesting inside scoop for me. I wrote down some of the quotes from the show because I felt like despite the abuse they suffered, all four of the children (now grown adults) featured on the show had shown healing and responsibility for their lives.

It's hard when you've had no one to model after to build a foundation of anything.
-Andrea, Daughter of Wanda Barzee

The thing is though when you're a child when you don't get the what you need to develop you don't know you're not getting what you need to develop.
-Oprah

I had to evaluate who I was. I had to look back and say I was on the wrong path. I had to learn responsibility. And once I figured out that I had to own my mistakes it was a whole new world for me. I realized that I couldn't be a victim of my circumstance anymore. I couldn't blame my background for where I was going.
-Derrick, son of Wanda Barzee

All mammals instinctively do what is necessary to protect and care for their children. When that doesn't happen that means that something is very very wrong.
-Oprah.