I divorced when my daughter was 15.
I did my best to never bad mouth her dad even though it was painful to witness his behaviors and attempts to turn our daughter against me for his own wounded pride and vindictive desire to cause me more pain.
It was a rocky few years but now that my daughter is almost 23 she sees for herself, very clearly, the true nature of her dad and has experienced first hand his deceitful side.
We are now closer than ever this last handful of years and she respects me even more with her new understanding.
In letting things go, feeling as if I was losing then, I have won the best thing I could ever win, my daughters respect.