I'm so sorry you had to deal with a narcissistic mother growing up. I'm sure that was, and continues to be, very difficult. For me, this was surely a trying and simultaneously wonderful time in my life. As mothers, I believe we should be able to talk honestly (and sometimes laugh) about the challenges of motherhood, which are often swept under the rug. Motherhood is a very beautiful but challenging journey, and in a culture that trivializes, romanticizes, and commoditizes motherhood, we leave little space for acknowledgment of the challenges. I have already read this piece to my daughter and she laughed right along with me. As she blossoms into a fiercely independent, deeply empathetic, and whip-smart girl, I'm happy to say that we find we have more in common, including our sense of humor!