Lately I've been visiting a few internet parenting forums to see what topics might be of particular interest to my readers here. Of course I've dropped a few comments into the threads along the way, with my usual good intent, and I've been amazed by some of the volatile (and sometimes downright offensive) reactions I've received to some very mildly worded input from me.
It got me thinking about how hard many young (and not-so-young) mothers, especially first-time mums, find it to deal with the Toxic Mother. Maybe it's time to talk about that.
So here's a helpful guide to identifying some of the species of Toxic Mother, which might help you to avoid them. There's no point arguing with them. Steer clear of them.