Just love them for who they are. They are flawed and self-centered, but you really can't change that. It sounds like you turned out to be a thoughtful, loving person. Maybe in some way, you were the winner in the family lottery.

I would suggest that you stop trying to win your mother's approval and just accept that she is odd. She sounds incredibly insecure.

Good luck,

You need to protect your kid from your screwed up family. I've basically cut my mother off. She sounds a lot like your mother. I've never felt unconditional love from her and she is very emotionally unstable. She makes me feel fat and is so nasty about my husband. Crazy thing is I also have a 3 year old like you and she basically doesn't realize that grandmother exists at this point. As for money, we have the most in my family and all it means is that my mother thinks I'm a greedy bitch for not giving it to her.