Hi Dr. Meeker,
I have been divorced for 4 years. My daughter (11 years old) hasn’t shown any affection towards me since she was 4. Her mother, for years, continues to alienate me away from her by saying things like “ignore him” and “his family is not good people”, “The only thing your father was good for was his job”. I have been so frustrated and I went back to court this year to finally get my ex to go to counseling and the court systems take so long. My daughter now has basically turned into my ex and continues to say negative things and is convincing my son to behave in the same way. She does not want to play games with me nor do anything with me.
We have been going to counseling but she shuts down.
Is there any hope for my daughter and I to have a loving relationship? She is so loyal to her mother and my son is exemplifying the same feelings.
I keep telling her that I love her, but I do get frustrated with her and try to point out what she is doing.
What can I do as a father?
-Desperate Dad