I agree with Tsarina_Liz. That is very true, that Alexandra must be given the final credit for what her daughters became. They were indeed beautiful, accomoplished, intelligent young women. She was also a caring parent to Alexei, although it was easy to be over protective given his illness. She may have faced some of the issues other families face with children and siblings. There were of course conflicts and sibling jealousy sometimes or feeling unloved. That is natural and human, but at the end of the day Alexandra mostly had a good effect on her children. They grew up well, although Alexei never lived to grow up, only his sisters were grown up or close. Alexandra seems a good mother to me, her children being her ultimate test.
Well, I personally don't think she deserves as much credit as all of this
Her and Nicholas combined, IMHO, get about 45% of the credit while the girls themselves get the other 55%. In many ways they raised themselves thanks to Alexandra's illnesses and psychological quirks as well as her attentiveness towards their brother - and I think that was a good thing because it allowed them to become unique individuals. But, of course, I have never seen evidence of Alexandra trying to radically change who they were - even the rambunctious Anastasia, whom she must have occasionally found tiring (or even possibly amusing when she was sick and needed cheering). When Alexandra was around, she could be harsh and demanding (read her notes to the girls, they mean well but they come across badly) although I think she tried to show love through instructions. Methinks that she was somewhat emotionally stunted growing up due to the lack of a caring, attentive mother figure of her own - Queen Victoria meant well, but she wasn't exactly 'cuddly' and therefore Alexandra didn't really know how to be affectionate (yes, I realize it's speculation). Alexandra also, it should be added, did her fair share of damage. Most of the girl's immaturity both psychologically and socially, resulted from her enforced isolation from the rest of the society. As the Dowager Empress Marie said, the girls were "captives of their mother's paranoia."
The girls were great, but had they been allowed to grow up normally I think they would have been spectacular with unlimited potential. They all had good heads on their shoulders, something I don't think Alexandra ever realized, and would have blazed their own paths in society without compromising their integrity. And given the increasingly lax rules of the society they lived in and the social fluctuations, they could have become much more than trophy wives. I have seen it written that Anastasia, for example, would have made an admirable photographer. Olga could have ruled a country with the suitable husband becoming, I imagine, much like QEII in our time - a smart, popular "business queen". In trying to protect her girlies, Alexandra caused quite a bit of damage.
