Parental Alienation: Parental Problem

A common issue during divorce – and after divorce – involves one parent speaking poorly of the other. Many times the parent who is engaged in this unfortunate behavior does not even realize what he or she is doing.

Sometimes parents going through the mental anguish of divorce lose perspective. They can begin to involve their children, making negative statements about the other parent such as "if your mother loved you more she would spend more time with you," "I can't believe your father wants to spend time with that homewrecker," etc.

Parental alienation, or alienation of affection, can take place in many different ways. Some parents do it unthinkingly. Others are much more calculated about it.