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Southlake to host Bubbles of LOVE Day DFW
Submitted Photo -- Wendy Archer is organizing the first Metroplex celebration of the Annual Parental Alienation Day, a global event that seeks raise awareness for parental alienation. The event will be held at noon in Southlake's Central Park on Monday, April 25.
By Jasmin Brown, jbrown@acnpapers.com
Central Park in the Shops of Southlake will be the stage for the first celebration of "Bubbles of LOVE Day DFW" on Monday, April 25.
The event is part of the 6th Annual Parental Alienation Day, a global event that seeks to bring awareness to the issue of parental alienation and founded by the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization (PAAO).
According to a PAAO news release, "Parental alienation is a form of child abuse that involves the systematic persuasion and manipulation of children that results in the destruction of a loving relationship they once shared with a parent."
The event is being organized by Wendy Archer, who has lived in the Metroplex since 1998 and whose three children have attended Carroll ISD since that time. Archer said she hopes the event raises awareness and education for parental alienation.
"It's actually a pandemic all around the world ... but there has not been a lot of education or awareness about it," Archer said. "It's very, very common in families where there is divorce and just recently it's been realized how very harmful it is to children."
Participants in the event in Southlake will join others across the globe to blow bubbles to signify the love that should flow freely between children and both of their parents.
Archer said awareness and education are the keys to preventing and stopping parental alienation.
"I think that nearly everyone who knows someone who has had this in their family, but they might not have necessarily known that there is a name for it and that it is a form of abuse that can be prevented if caught early," she said. "I think that most people are familiar with the situation and if they learn about parental alienation, they realize what it is and that there are ways to deal with it so that children can have healthy, loving relationships with both of their parents."
Archer said parental alienation can affect extended family members as well.
"If a child is alienated from one of their parents, they're almost always alienated from that entire side of the family, so they're alienated from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins," she said. "It really affects everyone in a family system, not just the parents and the child."
It is also vital for people who are in frequent contact with children to be educated and aware of parental alienation Archer said.
"Teachers and counselors are oftentimes the first people that see the signs of this, but they haven't really been trained to recognize and to know what to do about it, so it's really important for everybody to be aware of it," she said.
Teenagers are another group that Archer hopes the event can impact positively.
"All teenagers know friends that have been through a divorce," she said. "There are different forms of it -- some are very mild and some are very extreme -- but it's very good for teenagers to be educated about it so that they can recognize it and help their friends if they need help. It opens up dialogue to talk to them about parental alienation. "
Dr. Richard Warshak, a highly respected authority on parental alienation, will also be speaking at the event. The event is family and pet-friendly and free. Participants should be ready to begin blowing bubbles at noon. Bubbles are being donated by local businesses. All ages are welcome.
For information about the event, contact Archer at 817-991-6058 or at wendyarcher@rocketmail.com. Information is also available at www.bubblesofloveday.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
chelseyw wrote on Apr 21, 2011 4:03 PM:
" So encouraging to see the awareness growing about the effects of parental alienation on families! find more PA events, workshops and seminars by visiting www.padirectory.info! "
mikejeffries wrote on Apr 22, 2011 6:50 AM:
" Thanks for highlighting Parental Alienation Awareness Day. Parental Alienation is a destructive family dynamic affecting countless children, parents and extended family members every year.
For more informaiton, and resources, on parental alienation you can visit http://www.afamilysheartbreak.com. Only through awareness and education can we help other families avoid these heartbreaking situations. "
For more informaiton, and resources, on parental alienation you can visit http://www.afamilysheartbreak.com. Only through awareness and education can we help other families avoid these heartbreaking situations. "
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