Parental Alienation: What Is It and What Can You Do About It?

 Posted on September 23, 2016 in Parenting

While there are certain exceptions, most children fare best after divorce when they have a lasting and healthy relationship with both of their parents. Unfortunately, there are situations in which one parent tries to interfere with the bond that the child has with the other parent. This is known as parental alienation, and it can have a serious impact on the mental and emotional well-being of a child. Learn how to spot its symptoms, and what to do if you suspect that it is happening to you and your child.

Symptoms of Parental Alienation

During and after a divorce, emotions are high and couples are often struggling to find a new way to communicate and get along. This is just a part of the process, and there are bound to be a few bumps along the way. After all, it can take time to perfect the drop-off, pick-up, and parenting time schedules. This is different than parental alienation, which is an intentional interference with another parent’s relationship with their child. Symptoms that indicate this insidious and damaging behavior may include:

• Refusing to provide medical or school records when requested;
• Over-sharing of information about the divorce and/or marital problems;
• Giving children “choices” about if and when they will visit (particularly when the child then refuses);
• Temptations (concerts, friends, vacations, and other “fun” events) set up during the other parent’s visitation time (usually done to coerce the child into not going);
• Blaming of the other parent, particularly in front of or around the child;
• Refusing to share a child’s schedule for school, daycare, or extracurricular activities;
• Sudden or extreme anger coming from the child (this is usually beyond the sort of anger that children may feel after divorce and is, typically, without real reason);
• Suggestions that the child’s name be changed or that a stepparent adopts the child;
• The parent seems sad or offended or hurt if they child indicates they enjoyed their visit with the other parent; and
• Any other behavior that covertly or outright demeans, undermines, or devalues the other parent.

What to Do If Parental Alienation Is Happening to You 

If you suspect that parental alienation is happening to you and your child, it is critical that you intervene now. The longer it goes on, the more your relationship with your child could be damaged. An experienced Lombard family law attorney can help you address issues of parental alienation and will take aggressive steps to restore and assert your rights. To discuss your case, contact us and schedule a confidential consultation today.

Source:

http://www.parentalalienation.org/articles/symptoms-parental-alienation.html