The monsters of our childhood do not fade away neither are they ever wholly monstrous. But neither in my experience do we ever reach a plane of detachment regarding our parents however wise and old we may become. To pretend otherwise is to cheat.
My advice to women in general: Even if you're doing a nine-to-five job treat yourself like a boss. Not arrogant but be sure of what you want - and don't allow people to run anything for you without your knowledge.