It is no secret that emotions often increase the stress of divorce. Even in a fairly amicable separation, divorcing adults may have some animosity toward their soon-to-be ex-spouses. When a minor child is involved in a divorce, it may seem tempting for one parent to badmouth the other parent. In other situations, a parent may learn that their spouse or some other family member, is making negative comments about how the person is parenting. When a custody dispute is hotly contested, talking down about the other parent is often more pronounced.