What kind of childhood did Regina have? What role did her mother play in her childhood?

The answer to this question should focus on the brutality and violence that Cookie exacted on the children, specifically on Regina. Regina learned to be self-sufficient and to take care of her siblings from an early age. She also learned to distrust authority because the system let her down so many times. The answer could also discuss the fact that Regina grew up with only her siblings as support, which may have affected her need to know for certain that Paul was her father.

Why was Regina's childhood more brutal than her siblings? Was Cookie's explanation believable?

Cookie said that Regina's father had hurt her more than any other man who had been in her life, and she singled Regina out for punishment because of that. When the family came into...