1 Put on a Stepford wife smile and refuse to lose not matter what she says. It should drive her crazy.

2 Another way to win without trying is to agree with everything she says, then do none of it. Just keep smiling and saying "you're right" and continue doing what you've been doing all along. Eventually she'll figure out she's talking to herself, and might shut up.

3 I see you people have normal mothers. I don't want to aggravate mine, for she could get homicidal, and I don't want to have to shoot my own mom in self-defense. So no passive-aggressive tactics for me. Fortunately, she saw that she was headed for the swamps, and reined herself back in. So there's growth . . .

4 The tactic that works - though is in your face confrontational - is to just not see them. Don't answer the phone, don't visit, don't have them over. Let them know it is because "You are invited to STOP trying to run my life." Note to mothers everywhere - when your kids are 28, you really do have to stop treating them like they are 12.

5 I've done that one, too

6 Hmm. I have a "normal mother?" Then what explains me?

7 How about "the sins of the fathers"? Or perhaps you're a sport (not baseball--genetics).