The Mommy complaint guide

I have single friends who like to tell me how busy they are or how tired they feel during the day. I also have Mom friends who do not work and who have nanny services who like to tell me how rough it is being a mom.

Ummmm...no. Know your levels, people.

Look, we all have good days and bad days, but it's important to have a healthy dose of perspective when you are venting to other parents. Here are some general rules to keep in mind.

1. Complain laterally, not vertically. Child-free folks cannot complain to people with children about exhaustion, being too busy or not having enough time to themselves. Sorry. No, you just cannot.
2. If your child is healthy, you don't get to complain to a parent with a non-healthy child. Ever.
3. Mothers can only complain to other mothers if they have the same amount of children. I have a healthy single child. I would never tell a mother of three that I need more "me time." (Nope, never.) I can, however, engage in a friendly game of "this is why I'm tired" to another mom of a single child.
4. Moms who stay at home and moms who work should not compare notes. Jealousy and conflicting points of views will emerge and friendships could be at risk.
5. Parents of newborns do not sleep. If your child is sleeping, remember all those months of waking up in the middle of the night before you mention being tired.
6. Yes, people really love their pets, but it is an awful mistake if you start comparing your furbaby to a child. Let me put it this way: You can leave your pets at home alone and no one is going to get upset.

Hopefully, this helps clear things up. Any general rules to add? Leave them in the comments.