Online digital Christmas tree counters ‘parental alienation’

PARENTAL alienation is under the spotlight this Christmas and one woman is trying to make it a little easier on parents and children who have been separated as a result of divorce.

Sinta Ebersohn created an online digital Christmas tree where parents can pin the names of their children during the holiday period as a way to honour and remember them.

Founder of the website fairdivorce.co.za, Ebersohn said the digital Christmas tree was launched on November 22 and the interest has been “tremendous”.

Ebersohn was divorced in 2013 and is also the child of divorced parents.

“People often use children to hurt their partners in a divorce and I wanted to create a platform where parents can get guidance for the dos and don’ts,” she said. Parents are able to go to the website fairdivorce.co.za, fill out an online form and the site’s administrators will pin the names to the digital Christmas tree.

The tree is updated daily and Eberson said her initiative had sparked interest worldwide.

“It’s important for people to know they are not alone and others are experiencing the same emotions, especially at this time of year,” she said.

She feels keeping a child from a parent violates that child’s basic human right to a healthy relationship with both father and mother.

“For these families alienation is a devastating crime and the harmful effects extend way beyond Christmas, to every birthday and milestone.”

Parental alienation is not legally recognised, but Ebersohn hopes that this initiative will change legislation in the future.

“Alienation is actually child abuse and the plan to get it recognised as an offence is gaining momentum around the world,” she said.

Pins will be updated every 24 hours and the person who adds the names of children will remain anonymous.