When parents are going through a divorce, it is difficult enough that they will no longer be spending all their time with their children anymore. Children’s time becomes divided between parents and each parent will most likely struggle to make the most of their time together. It can be even worse if one parent feels the other is turning the children against him or her.
What is parental alienation?
Parental alienation takes place when one parent strategically distances a child from his or her parent. Parents can brainwash or program their child against the other parent by continuously making false statements about them. For example, a mother can tell the children that their father doesn’t live them and doesn’t want to see them, distorting the children’s perception of their father. Or a father could tell the children their mother prefers her new family to the older one. Whether the allegations are true or not, the relationship suffers.
Signs of parental alienation
Some signs of parental alienation include the child criticizing their parent without any specific reasoning and having negative feelings about them. The child will most likely unwaveringly support their other parent and will not feel guilty about mistreating their alienated parent.
Regardless of how a couple’s relationship with one another ends, it is their responsibility to ensure their children are not affected by it. When one parent divulges unnecessary information about the relationship to the children or try to break custody guidelines to get on the child’s good side, it can negatively impact the involved children. If someone believes their relationship is being affected by parental alienation, they might want to ask an experienced attorney what their options are.