10 toxic friends parents should cut off ties with

Do you know who your toxic friends are? They could be closer to you than you think.

Say goodbye to toxic friends

Toxic friends come in many forms but some of them tend to creep up on you without warning. These so-called friends add complication to your life that you don’t need. So rather than be exposed to their negativity, duplicity and fakery, ditch them. Now.

The Competitor

With this friend, the competitiveness never ends. Be prepared to hear comments like "My son, who’s younger than your child, is already in the advanced level in swimming or "Even though my daughter didn’t undergo proper art classes like yours, she is now a part of a prestigious art club in their school."

The critic

The critic friend is the one who never stops criticising you and your parental efforts. She will take joy in condemning you when you let your child eat doughnuts when it is fattening and unhealthy or criticise your thinking when you allow your daughter to get scraped knees playing football when proper little ladies should be learning pirouettes in ballet classes.

The downer

Enveloping you in a cloud of negativity, misery and hopelessness, this friend, for example, always reminds you of your child’s developmental delays and how (according to her) the condition will never improve regardless of what you do. Don’t listen to her!

The constant taker

Toxic friends such as these are always taking advantage of your kindness and generosity. For example, you will constantly be the one they’ll approach to look after their kids because they know you’ll never refuse. However if it is your turn to ask a favour from them, they’ll make up lots of excuses and flee.

The backstabber

This toxic friend seems to enjoy spending time with you, and likes to play and interact with your children. Unfortunately when your back is turned, she’ll say that she doesn’t even genuinely like them, and how they are such horrors.

The preacher

This toxic friend is prone to insisting everything she believes in and try to get you to do the same. Because she thinks letting the baby cry all night will result in uninterrupted sleep, she will endlessly try to convince you to do the same. Don’t follow this friend’s lead unless you feel that it is beneficial for your child too.

The hotstepper

This toxic friend is a user and will do everything to achieve her parenting goals. For example, she would be fawning over your daughter’s beautiful school dance gown design in order to find out where you had it made. As soon as she has the information, she’ll ignore you and your daughter. She might even have the audacity to allow her daughter to show up in the dance (at an earlier time, of course) wearing the similar gown.

The manipulator

This friend, for example, will smooth-talk you into throwing a huge children’s party with lots of balloons even if you don’t want to. But because she runs a balloon designing company and wants to earn money from you, she will brainwash you into obliging with her idea. She might say that your child, who’ll be turning 1 year old, should be hosted a huge party as thanksgiving or else he/she will succumb to an illness. Even though you don’t believe in what your friend is saying, you certainly don’t want anything to happen to your child so you’ll just agree to her idea.

Low self esteem

Toxic friends such as this one can drain you easily. This friend would often lament as to why her kids are not as beautiful, talented or smart as others. No matter how hard you convince her that her kids are naturally perfect, she can never be appeased.

Secret spiller

Be careful when sharing secrets your toxic friends as one of them could be a secret spiller. In no time, all your best-kept secrets including that about your occasional frustrations with your children or your husband will be revealed. If you are not quick to dump this friend, your blown-out-of-proportion secrets might reach your family’s ears and could cause a lot of trouble and resentment.

Share your experience

How did you deal with your own set of toxic friends? Share with us your experience and leave a comment.

Written by

Karen Mira

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