Why do mothers muddy their children from their fathers and prevent fathers from seeing their children? Should a child become an instrument of conflict between parents?

Question

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

Why, pray tell, do mothers muddy their children from their fathers and prevent fathers from seeing their offspring? 'Tis a question that doth trouble the mind and pierce the heart. For in the bond of marriage, 'twas decreed that a child hath two parents, each with equal claim to its love and care. Yet in the heat of discord and strife, this sacred bond doth fray, and the child, innocently caught betwixt, doth suffer the consequences of its parents' animosity. But should a child be made to bear the burden of its parents' quarrel? Should it be used as a pawn in the game of love turned bitter? Nay, I say, for the child is but an innocent soul, untouched by the bitterness of the world, deserving only of love and kindness. Let not the sins of the parents be visited upon the child, for it is a sin most foul. Let the child be shielded from the storms of conflict, and let its heart be filled with the warmth of love and peace. For in the end, it is the child who doth suffer the most, torn betwixt love and loyalty, and robbed of the sweet innocence of youth. Thus, let us strive to keep the child pure and unblemished by the sins of its parents, for it is a duty most sacred and a debt most profound.