Many are familiar with parental alienation, where one parent deliberately tries to damage the other parent's relationship with their children, often through persistent efforts to belittle or discredit them. Though this process can slowly unfold, it can deeply harm the bond between the children and the targeted parent once it takes hold.

In contrast, realistic estrangement occurs when children distance themselves from a parent, not because of external manipulation, but because of that parent's harmful or See more +

Many are familiar with parental alienation, where one parent deliberately tries to damage the other parent's relationship with their children, often through persistent efforts to belittle or discredit them. Though this process can slowly unfold, it can deeply harm the bond between the children and the targeted parent once it takes hold.

In contrast, realistic estrangement occurs when children distance themselves from a parent, not because of external manipulation, but because of that parent's harmful or inappropriate behavior. Here, the children's decision to withdraw is seen as a justified response to the parent's actions. See less -