You've been best friends since the seventh grade. First there was the prom. Then there were weddings. And now, you both have babies of your own. At first it was great. You kept each other company through morning sickness, debated diaper brand absorbencies, and you knew when the baby was sick even before the pediatrician knew.

But now, something seems different. The babies have grown into toddlers, and you just can't seem to find the time to call. Maybe it really is because you're too busy. Or maybe that's just an excuse. The last time you talked, your dear old pal couldn't believe your toddler was still breastfeeding. She even sounded a bit offended. And you? Well, you made no secret about your dismay at the number of hours she worked. Could it be, that after sharing everything for so many years, you've finally found something that you don't have in common?

"Differing parenting styles can cause great problems in friendships," says Dr. Margaret Paul, best-selling author and co-author of Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You? "And the outcome depends on one thing: Are both people open to learning about each other's point of view, or are one or both closed and defensive? Open and caring relationships can lead to much learning, but when one parent is treating her children in a way that the other judges as wrong, and they have no way of exploring the differences, it can lead to the dissolution of the friendship."

Carma Haley of Chester, Va. said goodbye to a 12-year relationship with a dear friend because of parenting differences. Their conflict resulted from Haley's idea of parent-child communication.

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