My Heart - Our Story

As I said in my profile Rick and I have been married for 9 years. During that time we have been to court or had to respond to litigation brought on by Rick's ex-wife somewhere between 40 and 50 times. We have been financially devastated because of attorney's fees. And all of this has been done in the name of the "Best Interests of the Child". It seems to us that Rick's ex-wife just decided to systematically remove the boys from his life. We have her on an answering maching tape saying she would do whatever she had to do to get Rick out of her life and the boys lives. Including moving out of state, draining the bank accounts, changing the boys names, she'd do whatever and she meant whatever. She was able to convince a Judge (with a track record for being biased against men) that she was fearful that Rick would kidnap the boys. Curious thing is doesn't the threat she made on tape sound like a kidnapping threat?

Out of our pain Rick and I have decided to do something positive and try to help other families. We have set up a website that shares our heart. http://www.keepingfamiliesconnected.org/. Because of this site we have been visited by people from 80 countries and 49 of the 50 states. Many of those people have contacted us with their stories and have asked for help. I have been really stuggling lately with the all the horror stories that we have heard. I am saddened, shocked and amazed at the magnitude of this problem. It is a global problem that affects us all.

I recently got an email from a friend of ours who is experiencing alienation at the very early stages. He said "I guess I never realized what you were going through. I'm finding that people aren't really interested unless they're in it themselves." This is the sad reality of Parental Alienation. If it doesn't affect you, you probably don't really care.

Not that I don't understand to a degree - because we are all very busy with our lives. But when you really stop and think about it, it is a very sad commentary on how much we have changed from a society that worked together and supported one another to a society that is basically indifferent. In that respect I think that we have definitely not advanced. We have given up support of family, friends, and community in the name of independence. We have developed an attitude of "I don't need anyone, I can do it on my own". We have become very much like our 2 year granddaughter when she is walking up or down the steps "I do it Grandma". Translation, I don't need your help.

The reality is that unless we start working together this will never change. I have put up some videos on my blog that I feel are definetly worth watching. If you are new to the problem of Parental Alienation. They will be woth the time.