Divorce under any circumstance is tough. If a marriage that involves a child comes to an end, one of the most important subjects the couple must address is the child’s living arrangements going forward. And this is where a parenting plan comes in.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for one parent to undermine the terms of the custody order. Sometimes, this can take the form of parental alienation. This happens when one parent intentionally strains and damages the relationship between the child and the other parent.
Understanding the effects of parental alienation
Parental alienation aims to negatively influence the child’s relationship with the other parent. Eventually, this can result in the child hating or undermining the authority of the alienated parent. The child may even refuse to spend time with the other parent, thus, inadvertently causing long-term psychological harm to the child.
Here are some of the signs that might indicate the other parent is alienating you from your child:
- When the child seems to know age-inappropriate details of your divorce, especially if that information taints your character
- When the child is spying on you (gathering dirt about you or eavesdropping on your phone conversations)
- When the child openly blames you for the divorce
- When the other parent is intentionally coming up with activities that conflict with visitation
All these can greatly hurt your parenting rights and ability to establish a healthy relationship with your child.
So, how do you respond to parental alienation?
There is no doubt that parental alienation can be devastating. Fortunately, the law is on your side. If you believe your ex is alienating you from your child, you need to put your evidence together and head to court.
