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The most serious expressions of a change in the child's attachment to a parent include:
* Pitching temper tantrums before leaving for the visit (younger children).
* Becoming enraged about being forced to go to the other parent (older children).
* Stating that he or she "hates" the other parent.
* Pleading to do anything except go on the visit.
* Making bizarre and unlikely claims about the other parent's conduct (abuse, neglect and so forth).
* Constantly making insulting comments about the other parent or putting the other parent down ("he's such a jerk," "she can't do anything right," and so forth).
Even mild indications that a child is growing emotionally distant from a parent are disturbing and warrant some attention by both parents. When a child is clearly heading from feeling ambivalent about a parent to feeling hatred towards that parent, parents should seriously consider getting the child professional help from counsellors who specialize in helping children cope with and adjust to the separation of their parents. It is often helpful for the parents themselves to find some counselling and guidance on how to approach parenting time and contact issues with the child.