Have you ever wondered why your child has lost contact with you? Why they might be behaving poorly towards you or not openly communicating as they did the week before?

Below is the 17 strategies used by narcissists to alienate the other parent.

It has been a real struggle to get the narrative to accept this form of child abuse.

How many can you tick off that has happened to you?

1. Badmouthing (Example: Constantly criticizing the character of the other parent in front of the children.)

2. Limiting Contact (Example: planning activities for the children during the other’s parent time.)

3. Interfering with Communication (Example: placing unnecessary restrictions and rules around phone calls with the other parent.)

4. Interfering with Symbolic Communication (Example: Getting rid of the child’s pictures of the other parent.)

5. Withdrawal of Love (Example: Subtly giving the child the message that if they love the other parent, they are less valuable.)

6. Telling Child Targeted Parent Does Not Love Him or Her (Example: “If your dad really loved you, he would have never done what he did.”)

7. Forcing Child to Choose (Example: “Are you going to be loyal to me or your mother?”)

8. Creating the Impression that the Targeted Parent is Dangerous (Example: Packing pepper spray in the child’s bag on a visit to the other parent and teaching them to use it “in case the other parent tries anything.”)

9. Confiding in Child (Example: Telling the child all the details of your ex’s affair.)

10. Forcing Child to Reject Targeted Parent

11. Requesting Child to Spy on Targeted Parent

12. Asking Child to Keep Secrets from Targeted Parent

13. Calling the Targeted Parent by First Name

14. Referring to a Step parent as “Mom” or “Dad” and Encouraging Child to Do the Same

15. Withholding Medical, Academic, and Other Important Information from Targeted Parent/ Keeping Targeted Parent’s Name off of Medical, Academic, and Other Relevant Documents

16. Changing Child’s Name to Remove Association with Targeted Parent

17. Cultivating Dependency (Example: Making the child feel like they need to be with the parent to be OK. Or making the child feel like the parent needs them to be OK.)