"Facing a pack of competitive and overtly critical women every morning is enough to instill self-doubt and paranoia for life"

I don't doubt it.

so far untouched subject...damn good clip

This reminds me of my being in fourth grade at a Catholic school. Our classroom was very over crowded and I had the misfortune of having my desk in the front row corner of the room. I was able to see the blackboard in front of my desk but that was about it. Soon this was being reflected in my grades so my Mom went to talk to Sister Mary Eva. The conversation ended with my Mom telling her that she could see that she couldn't talk to her so she was going to go home and pray for her. My next five years were a living Hell.

I am fortunate to have a group of mothers in my daughter's class that I love. I know how lucky I am. I volunteer at the school a lot and spending time with them is a joy, not a bother.

However, I see mommy cliques at the school that make me sad.

Oh, yes, don't we all have memories of school. Some fond memories and some not so fond. But I really understood her classification of the mummies, for a few years I took my grandson to school for kindergarten, 1st, 2nd grade and picked him up at the end of the day. Yes, I remember the types--and yes, I was probably classified as the slummy grandmother. I taught school for years, so I didn't see any need for me to dress to just take a child to school and I have a thick hide and took it all in with a pile of salt.

I was a hippie Mom. My daughter's friend's called me the cool Mom. Now that my daughter is in her 40s and has two teenage and one preteen all boys, she is trying hard not to be the Soccer Mom. In the states, a lot of schoolyard things are different from those in the UK, But, one thing is perfectly clear, girls that are bitches grow up to be bitches, and as far as I am concerened "Don't trust ANY of them"!
Thanks for mentioning it. I truly bears repeating.

"It" truly bears repeating. I also hate typos.