Parental alienation should give way to SHARED PARENTING

...Say alienated parents who organised a two-week campaign to mark April 25, observed as 'Parental Alienation Awareness Day' worldwide

- ARUNA RAGHURAM

A pril 25 was observed as 'Parental Alienation Awareness Day' around the world. On this day, parents' groups organise programmes to raise awareness about parental alienation defined as when one parent's relationship with his or her child is harmed by the other parent. With divorce/separation cases rising, parental alienation is becoming widespread with devastating consequences for children.

In India, a two-week awareness campaign was organised by two Mumbai-based 'alienated' male parents, Zian Lakdawalla and Ashraf Ansari. The campaign started on April 23 with 'Bubbles of love' with some parents blowing soap bubbles at selected public places across the country in honour of children forcibly separated from one of their parents. Brochures were also distributed to raise public awareness about parental alienation and its harmful consequences for children. On April 29, an art therapy workshop was conducted in Thane followed by a 'Prayer run cyclothon' on April 30 in Mumbai.

Comments Zian Lakdawalla, a learning and development professional and alienated parent of five-yearold son Zivan: "Through our two-week awareness campaign we hope to educate the public about parent alienation and its adverse impact on the emotional well-being of children. In my case, I have been alienated from my son since 2019. After taking recourse to the law, I now have vacation rights. I want to be a fully involved father but all I have is limited vacation time with him. Parent alienation has affected my son deeply he is reporting problems of delayed speech, hyperactivity, and poor socialisation skills."