I couldn't agree more. When my kids were younger, I ended up behaving the same way. I would volunteer to work with the kids and the teens to avoid being with the adults because of the gossiping and the constant toxic attitudes. I felt like I was able to make such a positive impact in the kids' lives when I was focused on that instead. (Plus, I really never fit in with the mom groups anyway)

Sometimes even when two people aren't "toxic" on their own, the combination of two personalities is such that they bring out the worst in each other. In the ebb and flow of my own relationships I admit that sometimes I struggle with knowing where my part ends and their part begins. I don't bother with putting my energy into things that bring me down for the most part. The only relationship I'm willing to work through/fight for is my marriage and my relationship with my children. (and that's because my husband is even more intent on fighting for me/us than I am and he's a good guy, even when he's annoying me!)

This is a great GREAT post :)