Ashley Tisdale French Exits Mother Group Amidst Isolation Feelings

Ashley Tisdale French decided to leave her mom group, citing feelings of isolation from a “mean girls” atmosphere that she hadn’t anticipated when joining.

In her essay titled “Farewell to the toxic mother group,” she reflected on her hopes of finding a supportive community among the women, but instead ended up feeling like she was reliving high school.

The star of High School Musical, who has two daughters—Jupiter, age 4, and Emerson, 15 months—with her husband Christopher French, initially felt fortunate to join the group, especially after missing out on typical prenatal activities during the pandemic.

After the birth of her first daughter, Tisdale craved connection with other mothers, needing advice on everything from diaper bags to parenting hacks. However, her attempts to relate with other mothers quickly became a source of distress. She started feeling excluded, often fixating on her social media interactions, which only heightened her feelings of isolation.

Recalling moments at a dinner party, she mentioned she felt sidelined, observing her seating position far away from the other women. This, among other experiences, made her increasingly aware of her exclusion from the group.

At one birthday dinner, she was told why she hadn’t received an invitation and remained confused about why she missed out on a gathering planned for her daughter’s birthday.

There was a particularly tough night when, after settling her child to bed, the feelings of exclusion hit her hard. She found herself questioning her worthiness among the other mothers, leading her to feel as if she had slipped back into the high school days of uncertainty.

Determined not to remain silent, she texted the group expressing her discomfort, stating it felt “too high school” for her, and she wasn’t interested in being part of it anymore. But the reaction wasn’t as she had hoped; some women tried to smooth things over, with one sending flowers while another suggested that there was a misunderstanding about her invitation.

Though she pondered whether remaining quiet might have been a better choice, she felt a sense of pride in having voiced her feelings. “Motherhood comes with enough challenges without worrying if those around you support you,” she concluded, emphasizing the importance of surrounding oneself with genuinely compatible people. She learned that even if things look perfect on social media, if the group doesn’t make you feel valued, it might just not be the right fit for you.