single mother of 3-year-old twins seeking advice

I agree with Sunshiny. You probably have some level of depression and need medication. Depression isn't about being sad, it is more likely to show up as the feelings you describe where you feel overwhelmed and unable to function the way you want to. Please seeek medical help in this area before you seriously think about doing anything with your kids/family. As a current foster parent, I would urge you to not voluntarily place your children into care. There are so many issues here and it could turn out that onceyou place them, you would have no control over what happened next. if a family member tookthem and then decided to stop, the state could possible step in and place them in fostercare. Think of what you hope to gain if you were not responsible for your children and how you would navigate them being with someone else. It isn't as though they would be with someone else and you would not be seeing them or involved in their care at all. This type of arrangement can have even more pressure than were you are right now. If your Mom is willing to continue to help you, then work on a plan of action to get yourself where you want to be in the future. Work with your family to set out a plan and how each person will be helping. I would also suggest that you take a serious look at why you don't believe your own Mom did a good job raising you. If she was abusive, then I would agree with your assessment and say that your children do not need to be in a home with abuse. Is it possible that you hold some responsibility for your actions and you are blaming your current situation on your Mother?(I'm not saying you're fully responsible here) Parents can influence many things and sometimes children will do as the wish and ignore their parents. Some parents simply do not know how to parent, but that does not mean they are horrible people. I wish you the best in figuring it all out.