Maybe it's a sign that you need to start repairing your relationship with your mom? Maybe try to let go of the judgements and just accept mom as she is but love her just the same?

God Bless

That would be wonderful, and I have been making strides for years now, but my mom is the kind of woman that unless a non-family member/distant relation is around, she has nothing positive to say about me.

It is difficult when our parent or both parents aren't what we'd hope they would be. We all want the perfect mother and the perfect father. Sometimes it doesn't work that way.

I agree with @bobinmaine. Keep trying to repair your relationship with your mom. Your dynamic will change as you both grow older. You will want and need her around in your life. You may not see it now. Trust me, you will.

She won't always be there. Do the best you can so that you know at least you tried everything you could to have a good relationship with her.

Best wishes.

Why not keep it simple and say something like, I have photos of her at home not on my phone. This child was just asking something from a child's perspective and kind of a nosey question. I don't have photos of my deceased mom or dad on my phone and I would answer this child as not everyone keeps photos like this on their phone. I don't see this as a hurtful question but as a child that asks a very nosey question. A person can have a photo of another person on their phone and not have a relationship with this person. I just deleted a couple of photos of acquaintances from a group luncheon because I was going through and clearing out unneeded stuff. Lots of people have lots of photos of themselves with people and there is no real relationship going on, but it looks like there is a real relationship to outsiders.

I don't know your story but I am going to say that no parent is perfect and this little girl will be angry at her mom for something as she grows up. All children grow up and find flaws in their parents. Even good parents find this happens as it is part of the child's maturation process and learning about themselves. Your mother has had a life journey that started before you were even on this earth. We don't know your mom's truth or her journey. There is much intergenerational trauma in this world, meaning bad things happened to our great-grandparents who pass the trauma in some way or other to their children who pass it to their children who pass it to their children. Until we do our healing, this trauma can't stop. Your job is to heal yourself from the trauma of your childhood and from the trauma your mother and father experienced in their lives which formed their personalities which formed yours. If no one loved them, if no one appreciated or praised them, it is typical to not be able to appreciate or praise others. If I was taught I don't matter, then I may keep working to make sure I do matter by maybe criticizing or belittling others so I feel bigger and better than I really feel about myself. You take your mother's negativity as about you. It very likely is not about you as you. It is very likely about HERSELF, something broken or damaged within her that makes her so negative and mean spirited. This is the work we all do, how to separate from our parents to be strong adults on our own and how to mature, grow emotionally, and become all that we can be as human beings. This is our journey in life.

I decided long ago to be grateful I could see my flawed parents as human and not keep trying to earn their love. They loved me as best they could, which was pretty lacking. My journey was to find the self love and value that my soul needs to be a healthy emotional human being. You can do this also if you'd like or you can stay angry and feeling less than at your mom or dad. It is easier to stay angry and hurt than to do the hard work of emotional wellness but the end effects are beautiful for ourselves if we do this work. Best wishes to you.

Big hug Allthe...... I would keep the answer really simple as well..... I'm sorry that you're hurting

This is your business though and it wouldn't be cool for a child to go home and start to tell her parent your personal business..... The parent/teacher may come in and ask 'what's going on"

I to hope that as time goes on you and your mom can mend some bridges.....

You don't have to like everything about your mom to love her....... Another hug....xo