Separation is usually a painful experience for everyone involved.
The emotions and feelings can lead to putting children in the middle
of battles.

If you find yourself being drawn into one of these games refer to
the following sections for some suggestions on how to deal with the
situation:

- Respect; To not publicly judge the other
parent.
- Effective communication: To swap ideas, listen, and try to understand where the other parent is coming from.
- Resolving conflict
- Reach an agreement with the parents.
- Courtesy: Being polite shows consideration for the other
person.

Common games parents play that can harm children are:
Spy: This is where one parent tries to get information about the other parent. For example, ?Tell me sweetheart, who was at Mummy?s/
Daddy?s house when you were there??. Children love both parents and this game asks them to break the trust of a parent or carry the anger of a parent.

Tuc of war: Trying to get the child?s support which then confi rms that the parent is ?right?. For example, ?Listen, the kids don?t like sleeping over with you when your new partner is there? isn?t that right kids??. Children feel as if they are being ripped apart and consequently lose respect for both parents and themselves,
sometimes unable to show their real feelings.