5 types of moms everyone finds annoying

Women need each other for support and encouragement, for better or for worse. However, some mommy friends are better than others. We all have those “friends” in our social circles. You know the ones — the mommies that drive everyone a little nuts. Are you one of these five worst mom friends?

1. Know-it-all mom

Have a parenting dilemma? This mom has your answer! It doesn't matter if you have a teenager and her only child is six months, she'll still offer her opinion. Know-it-all mom has read every parenting book written since the dawn of man, and her own mom is worthy of sainthood. She's got this down. Nevermind that kids and families come in all shapes and sizes. She knows that the right combination of tricks will produce perfect children. Just ask her.

2. Martyr mom

Oh, your kid didn't sleep through the night until 10 months? Well, martyr mom's kid woke up five times every night until toddlerhood! This woman believes that winning at parenting is directly proportional to suffering. Her kids are the absolute worst, and somehow she sees this as a personal compliment. Ten minutes with martyr mom and you're left wondering why she had kids in the first place. She sure doesn't seem very happy.

3. Competitive mom

Check out those kids in the staunchly starched polo shirts. They read at age three, speak three languages and are concert pianists. Each and every one. You know all this because their mom tells you — regularly. You feel like this mom's mission in life is to make you feel “less than,” but you can't prove it because she never actually talks about you. It's all her kids, all the time.

4. Drama mama

Facebook feuds and minor catastrophes litter the path of drama mama everywhere she goes. You didn't know it was possible to get in three car accidents each month, but drama mama makes you a believer. In her life, everyone else is always the problem, and she rarely notices that the common denominator in all these problems is her. On the upside, drama mama keeps you appreciative of your own life.

5. Perfect mother

Okay, so there's not actually anything wrong with the perfect mother. Her kids are respectful, and her house is clean. She volunteers for the PTA, and her kids are well liked at school. Actually, on paper, perfect mother also makes the perfect friend — except for the fact that she makes you uncomfortable. Seriously, how does she do all that? Poor lady, she's always trying to figure out why she has so few friends, especially since she's so dang nice.

In the interest of full disclosure, I've filled all of these roles at some point (not including perfect mother). We've all been guilty of acting like less than stellar friends from time to time, but there's always room for improvement. We need friends, and we need to become the best friends possible. As for the worst mom “friends” in your life? You don't need them, although you should befriend perfect mother. Seriously, she needs some friends.

Heather Hale is a fourth-generation Montanan and mom to three crazy boys. She writes with her husband, Darreck Hale, about parenting and marriage at thesecretlifeofparents.com.