Binge watching Bates Motel on Netflix. Currently on season 4 and this is what I realized...
Norman I think would have been fine had she caught it the moment he killed his father. Had she told him the truth and got him on medication and therapy, he probably would have been fine. Maybe he would have felt guilty for the rest of his life but it was an innocent murder that I think anyone would have done in a situation dealing with domestic abuse.
Her dishonesty, denial, overprotection, and controlling behaviour is what ultimately became her and his downfall. And another thing I think really made him subconsciously think that murder was ok is witnessing his mother stab that man who raped her in the beginning of the show and how she handled it.
It also started his obsession with thinking his mother is a murderer and actually is committing the murders to follow.
She's not the worst parent in the world but she certainly would never get mother of the year in how she handled his illness.
But she was ill herself and needed a lot of help as well. She may not have been as off as Norman or had his disorder but she did have a disorder of her own.
