O/T but I'd just like to state something because I see this whole jealousy thing being brought up a lot.
I am in a position very similar to what KC's was when Caylee was alive. I am 24 years old and I have a 3 year old daughter. I live at home with my parents. (I'm also 7 months pregnant now and babydaddy hit the road after almost 3 years and engagement..ugh) I consider myself very VERY blessed to have my parents to help me in the raising of my children and have considered them to be such big helps that I've legally given them shared custody of my daughter.
That being said, my parents hold me majorly accountable and responsible. I go to school and I work (though not now because I was fired when my belly started to show.) and I give my parents my money and my social security checks (my first born's father passed away) because they provide me and my children a place to live, food in our bellies, and all that good stuff. They are fully aware of my income and my comings and goings. I haven't "partied" since I had a baby. Sure I occasionally go out on a date to a movie or to dinner or something, but my parents would not stand for me living in their house - rent free - while they help me take care of my child, and me having the audacity to come home drunk or to stay out all night. They always know where I am and not because they don't trust me, but because we have agreed to raise these kids together, so they can help me learn to be a better mom. Let's face it, children don't come with a manual and at 20 years of age - I had no clue what I was getting into. However, my desire to become a good mom and to humble myself enough to trust my parents to teach me better ways is what sets me apart from KC.
There have been times when my daughter has called Nana (my mom) "Mommy" and there have been times when my daughter seems to take more of a liking to my parents than to me. Would I ever get JEALOUS? HELL NO. I know what kind of effort my parents have put forth in raising her and I also know that children can be "fickle" with who they "love the most" at times. Does my daughter know I'm her mommy? Yes. Does she love me? Absolutely! There isn't a doubt in my mind about that and I'd never get jealous of my own flesh & blood - never. I've always gotten a lot of attention from my parents and have at times been spoiled, but that all stopped when my daughter was born. She's now the center of everyone's universe in this household and gets way more attention than I do - and rightfully so. I wouldn't have it any other way! She's been gone for a little over a week spending time with her dad's mom & family for Easter and she comes home on Friday and this house has been SO quiet and so boring since she left! I'm sooo eager for her return because she adds an element of joy to our lives that just isn't here when she's gone.
So when I see KC being jealous of Caylee, I can't see anything "motherly" about that at all. Which I cannot fathom because you'd think that becoming a parent would make those natural instincts come out, but as I've quickly learned in recent months after being abandoned by someone I loved and trusted so much..anyone can create a child, that's just biology. Loving your child and parenting your child is a whole other ballgame. KC didn't see herself as a mother and that's her own fault for not being one. At the same time, she remembers her pregnancy very well and the fact that Caylee "came from her" and thought that trumped all rights anyone else had to claim Caylee as their own, or for Caylee to claim them as the case were. She thought that entitled her to some higher right than anyone else and disgustingly used Caylee as a pawn due to that very reason. Cindy should have snapped out of her denial and proceeded to get custody of Caylee, claimed Caylee on her taxes, gave Caylee health insurance so she could go to the doctor (from what all I've read Caylee never went to the doctor), and let KC fend for herself. If I acted the way KC had, you can BET my folks would fight me for custody in a heartbeat and would tell me to hit the road. But there's a reason I'm still here at home and so is my daughter..I want to be and I prove that I want to be with my actions towards both my parents and my daughter. I don't use her as a pawn, I don't get jealous of her..that's just absurd to me. Sure she's my little baby girl, but I'm not the only one raising her and I know that..and I'm grateful for that. Having the help from my parents is allowing me the chance to learn by example how to be a good parent, and giving me the opportunity to further my education so one day when I am ready to marry or be out on my own, I'll be able to provide for my children not just the bare necessities, but the kind of life I feel they deserve.
/endrant.