MovieClip does not receive Custom Event

Question

I have a problem understanding Events and event handling.
I have a movieClipA wich contains several other movieClips (a1,A2,A3, etc..)
MovieClipA is parent of movieClips (a1,A2,A3, etc..)
In movieClipA I use the following code:
addEventListener ( "Pieter", pieterFnP ) ;
dispatchEvent(new Event("Pieter"));
private function pieterFnP (e:Event) {
        trace ("PIETER - Parent");
} // Is fired when recieving Event
In movieClips (a1,A2,A3, etc..) I use the code
addEventListener ( "Pieter", pieterFnC ) ;
private function pieterFnC (e:Event) {
         trace ("PIETER - Child");
} // Is NOT fired ?
When I execute the application, function "pieterFnP" is fired, but "pieterFnC" NOT.
Thank you.
Pieter

Answer 1

In the Flash manuals I see/read; events traveling from the stage down to the object and then bubling up.
Quote::
When an event occurs, it moves through the three phases of the event flow: the capture   phase, which flows from the top of the display list hierarchy to the node just before the   target node; the target phase, which comprises the target node; and the bubbling phase,   which flows from the node subsequent to the target node back up the display list hierarchy.
My First attempt was Capturing events send by the Child objects. But then I had the problem that after the child object was gone, the eventhandler stil existed. Pointing to a null Child object. This behaviour is also described in the Flash manuals. But I never could pin-point which variable (object) still contains a 'reference' ? to the event object.
So I thougth about a different approach. Which seams to me, was the logical solution, meaning Bubbling down and up.
My design approach was to define a child DisplayObject, which perform some action, after recieving a event from is parent. So I don't have to keep track of all the created objects. More like the Idea of fire and forget.
Ok, I go back to my virtual drawing board
Thanks,
Pieter