Self-absorbed parent...do I cut and run??

[Cuddlemuffin]

I need some advice. So basically there is a mum at DD1's and she has a younger boy the same age as preschool DD2. We've been to a few of the same birthday parties, trick or treating with them this year and DD2 and her son absolutely adore each other and play so nicely together. She has most Mondays off work and always wants to get together for play dates. The kids love this. However she is completely self absorbed and I find her really draining. She's super bitchy, competitive, critical, quite rude to people in general and I find I basically feel like shite for the rest of the day after seeing her 😭 I feel so exhausted and down. Should I continue to meet with her because DD2 loves her son so much and they are little besties...or make my excuses to avoid a terrible Mondays in future?? I'm so torn. She lives right around the corner so we see each other on school run etc. So can't avoid her completely. Any thoughts?

I had one of these "friends". I could have written your post circa 2011.

All I can say is that I regret the many hours I wasted with that horrible woman - she never changed, she got worse if anything. Your DD will make other friends and she and the DS can play together at pre school but you will never get those miserable hours back. So minimise contact, keep it to once a month maybe, and try and go somewhere where there's lots to see/talk about and other people so you don't get stuck having a draining conversation with her.

And for god sake don't introduce her to your nice friends and definitely don't get sucked into her MLM thing

How old is DD2? Sounds like preschool age.

DD2 will be fine if you meet up with her friend’s mum much less often, or indeed not at all!

@Fluckle what's MLM? The kids aren't at the same preschool but will be at the same school from next year. Minimising contact is a good idea. I hate making excuses and feel I'm being really rude as she's very pushy.

@dozer DD2 is almost 4. They will be in school together next year. DD2 doesn't have many friends her age outside of nursery but I'm not sure that's a good enough reason to keep going with these playdates.

MLMs are ‘pyramid’, rip off ‘marketing’ schemes.

That’s great DD goes to school soon.

It’s not ‘rude’ to decline meet ups. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to practice assertiveness techniques!