In her letter, she says that she left with the intention of making things easier for Christopher. This may have been her intention, but her actions were not appropriate. Leaving the family and running off with someone else is not going to help the situation; let alone make it better. She also says: “And I think that was when I realized you and your father were probably better off if I wasn't living in the house.” She often lost her temper when trying to get Christopher to do things he didn’t want to do. Although, she is not all bad. Mother instantly took Christopher in when he arrived at her door without warning. When she sees him, she quickly recovers from her shock and says: “Come on, Christopher, let's go inside and get you dried off." This shows that she at least doesn’t mind caring for Christopher. She also took it upon herself to leave Mr. Shears after realizing she was not in a good situation.
Father is not faultless. Christopher’s behavioral problems often cause Father to lose his temper and acts recklessly. After being Christopher’s guardian for 15 years, he should know that his son’s problems are something that he cannot control. Father also lied to Christopher, telling him that Mother was dead, and hiding the letters she had sent. When Christopher finds the letters, Father tells him: “ I was in such a mess . . . She left a note and. . . Then she