• Not all moms are nice. Some are just grown-up versions of middle school mean girls. As competitive as society tends to be, a new mom may feel intimidated about joining a group, for fear that she and her child will be compared with and judged by the other moms and kids.

It's enough to make you turn the stroller around and go home! But don't throw in the burping cloth just yet; there are some strategies you can use to open up your horizons and meet compatible moms.

Where the Moms Are

If you want to meet some other mothers, you'll have to put yourself where mothers gather. This will give you the opportunity to chat with a variety of mothers from various walks of life. Some great places to try include:

• The play corner at your local library;
• The park;
• A Mommy and Me or mom/child yoga class;
• The children's play area at the mall; and
• The recreation center.

As mothers, you have some common conversation topics to share, so you may find it easy to throw in your 2 cents even if you're not the super-talkative type.

In large groups, you're bound to find someone who's interested in chatting. Try not to take rejection too personally. For every stone wall you hit, there's a mother who's easy-going, fun and interested in being a friend.