Never give up!

I came upon this poem about perseverance and I think that every target should read this and think about it:

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit."

As a target parent and from talking with other target parents, I understand the feeling of wanting to quit. You want to throw your hands up, wave the white surrender flag, snap your fingers and have the time turn back to when things were normal with your children. You are tired, exhausted emotionally, strained physically and financially ruined. You have spent so much time, energy and money and you are no closer to your children. You may think that waiting until they are older and they have some maturity that perhaps they will seek you out. This can and does happen sometimes, but are you willing to gamble with this idea?

I understand that it is difficult to continue to extend the hand of communication and contact when all you get in return is hatred. Everyone wants some positive reinforcement for their efforts. I understand the thought of "why bother". Your children are depending upon you to be there and I understand that they may not be demonstrating that. In fact they are resisting your efforts and doing everything they can to push you away. I do believe that deep down, they do not want you to push away.

I suggest that if you have not read this book, that you read it. I think you will gain a new perspective and hope on your situation. You can click the link and it will take you to Amazon.com where you can purchase this book.

Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Breaking the Ties That Bind (Norton Professional Book)

Never give up! I would like to share some quotes with you and I hope that they make a difference.

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

~ Dale Carnegie

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."

~ Vince Lombardi

"Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. "

~ Louis Pasteur

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

~ Thomas Jefferson

"Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about."

~ Unknown

Parental Alienation is Abuse! Stop the abuse!

Suggested reading for target parents

If you are a parent experiencing parental alienation, you most likely are searching every resource you can for information. You may be wanting to know how to stop or prevent this from happening, if things will ever return to normal with your relationship with your children and what to do to facilitate this as well.

Dr. Amy Baker has written a book titled Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Breaking the Ties That Bind (Norton Professional Book). Dr. Baker has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College of Columbia University. She is the author or co-author of 3 books and over 45 peer reviewed articles. Her areas of research include parental alienation, child welfare, parent involvement in their children's education, early intervention, and attachment. She is the Director of Research at the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection.

This book interviews 40 adults who were alienated from a parent as a child. Many of the stories sound the same; a controlling parent who sets out on a mission to destroy the relationship between the child and other parent. As I read the stories, I found a common theme. The target parent who did not give up, would sometimes eventually have a relationship with the child they lost. The book is well written and offers advice for target parents as well.

If you have not read this book, I would suggest that this book is a must read. You will gain insight and understanding in a way you thought was not possible.

Parental Alienation is abuse! Stop the abuse!