I thought about this long and hard last night before responding.
The bond that I have with my children isn't something I can explain...I love my children more than I could ever begin to describe. When they are sick, I feel sick. When they are in pain, I'm in pain. It's just something that goes beyond words! When I was pregnant, a friend told me a story that has stuck with me over the years. She said that she had heard of a little boy being stuck on some railroad tracks. A man saw this and went to try and get him off but was unable to. When a train suddenly appeared, the man worked furiously to get the little boy unstuck but was unable to do so. So he layed his body over the little boy to protect him as the train came. The man ended up being okay but was hurt pretty badly. She told me that when she heard this story, she wondered if she would do the same thing this man did. She hoped that she would. When she became a mom, she KNEW she would do this for her child. When I became a mom, I thought of this story and she was right! There's nothing I wouldn't do for my children.
Having said all of that....I am not a grandmother and won't be for many more years. However, I've heard that the bond you have with your grandchildren is pretty much like what you have with your children. I can't imagine! So, I can't really compare that when I tell you how I feel about this and being a mother.
If one of my children did what Casey did....I would be heartbroken. I would wonder what I could have done to raise them better and wonder what fault I personally had in the situation. I would not bail my child out of jail for many reasons. One of which is the fact that they would be safer in jail. I would NOT make excuses for my child of this caliber. Heck, I don't even make excuses for my daughter when she is in trouble at school! I would not enable them by getting them out of jail and bringing them into my home to look on the internet or watch tv. There would be no fun and games in my house....their only choice would be to talk to me. Period.
I do think that Cindy is worried about losing her daughter. But Casey is not DEAD. She can visit her in jail whenever she wants. She can still write to her. She can still talk to her on the phone. It isn't as if she has lost Casey forever. Casey is alive and well. NOW, I would fight tooth and nail to keep my child from the death penalty but that's a whole 'nother story. I understand that Cindy wants to hold on to Casey but I don't think it's because she loves Casey (and I know she does). It's because when you look at your child, no matter how big they get, or how much they grow, you still remember when they were babies and you protected them and loved them. As they grow up, they detach from you a bit and you hold on to those times that it was YOU that made everything better in their world. IMO, it's not about Cindy loving Casey for what she is now, it's about Cindy loving Casey so much despite everything that has happened and wanting to protect her and make everything better again. We all know that she can't do that but I think Cindy is in her own little world right now.
I don't know what it's like to lose a child....or a grandchild. I can't imagine though. I would think that my heart would stop immediately if anything ever happened to either one of my kids. After all, they are my reason for being here in the first place. However, I don't think this is the case with Cindy. I truly believe that she is not holding on to Casey because she fears that Caylee is no longer with us, I think she is holding on to Casey because that's what a mother does. She protects her children. I don't agree with the way she is doing it for the record...but I can see why she is.
I can say this, when my Kaileigh is in trouble, I do not make excuses for her at all. I WANT her to deal with the consequences so that she can learn. If she were to do something really bad, I would want her to be held accountable. I'm not just saying this because I'm following this case so closely. I'd be embarassed and ashamed that it was MY child that did this unspeakable thing. I'd be telling people that I don't know where I went wrong?! I'd be telling everyone that while I don't want my child to suffer, I do want them to be accountable for any actions that hurt another. I'd tell everyone that would listen to please not HURT (physically) my child but that I understand that angry words will be spoken.
I can not relate to Cindy at all. She is ENABLING Casey and that's not what a mother does. I do on some level believe that she wants Casey to like her and love her but I don't think Casey does at all. Another thing I want to add about this is that I think that Cindy wants to be Casey's best friend and supporter. Cindy knows Casey is going to jail but she doesn't want Casey to blame HER for it. Does that make sense? Cindy knows that if she says anything against Casey, Casey will blame her because that's the kind of person Casey is. Because Cindy isn't acting like a mother but as her daughter's best friend, she doesn't care WHO doesn't like what she says or WHO yells at her....she will defend Casey to the death. Casey is going to jail for murder regardless but Cindy will no way have a part in it in her mind.
Sorry this is so long and a little unclear....I have a lot of feelings wrapped up in this because I truly feel heartbroken for Caylee. I want her to be found and I want justice.
