COMBINING COMPASSION WITH PRACTICALITY

Recognizing signs of parental alienation

On Behalf of | Dec 6, 2021 | Divorce |

A New Jersey child custody case has the potential to get contentious.  Sometimes, your former partner’s distaste or ill will for you might spill over into the relationship he or she shares with your son or daughter. Parental alienation occurs when one parent makes efforts to turn the child against the other parent, and it may have a serious impact on not only your relationship with your child moving forward but also, your child’s own psyche.

According to Psychology Today, parental alienation occurs in somewhere between 11% and 15% of today’s divorces.

Recognizing parental alienation

Your former partner may be subjecting your child to parental alienation tactics if you start finding it hard to get a hold of your child when he or she is at the other home. If your child tells you the other parent is constantly badmouthing you in the child’s presence, this may also indicate a problem. A parent engaging in parental alienation tactics may also try to convince your child you are dangerous or unworthy of love, or even that you do not love the child, yourself.

Reacting to parental alienation

Do not ignore signs of parental alienation. If you believe your son or daughter’s other parent is taking active steps to hurt your relationship, consider taking things to court. You may also want to try to have your child undergo a psychological evaluation to get a sense of whether the other parent’s actions have already caused your son or daughter harm.

Document all perceived instances of parental alienation, no matter how seemingly small. You may need to reference them later if you wind up facing off against your ex in court.

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