Latvian Woman's Post on Reluctance to Care for Mother Sparks Heated Debate: 'Am I a Bad Daughter?'

A Latvian woman's social media post about her reluctance to care for her aging mother has ignited a broad debate among the public. The woman recounts that she feels guilty for not wanting to look after her mother, because during childhood, her mother subjected her to physical abuse—hitting her, pulling her ears and hair, and making her crawl on her knees. These traumatic memories still haunt her, and now that the mother is old and cannot walk, the woman helps only out of obligation, not genuine care. She has even lied about being busy with work to avoid visiting her mother.

The post drew mixed reactions. Many people supported the woman, stating that her feelings are completely normal and that mothers who truly love their children do not act that way. One commenter even suggested placing the mother in a nursing home and ignoring others' opinions about "badness."

However, others urged understanding the mother's perspective. They noted that the mother may have also suffered from abuse in her own childhood and simply passed on what she experienced. Advice included seeing a psychologist, forgiving the mother, and finding inner peace, as bitterness only harms the woman herself. Another user shared a similar experience, saying she cares for her mother despite harsh punishments in childhood, because the mother did her best within her knowledge and context. Many also recommended that the woman visit her mother and directly ask about those past incidents.