Regrettably, many California divorces end with hurt feelings and anger, and in some cases, these feelings can lead one parent to attempt to turn a shared child against the other parent. At Family Law Group, Inc., we recognize that one parent’s attempts to turn a child against the other may constitute parental alienation, and that parental alienation can have serious negative effects on your child.
Just what might parental alienation look like, and is there anything you can do if you believe your child is a victim of it? According to Psychology Today, parental alienation can occur when one parent essentially “programs” a shared child to feel or think negatively about the other parent. This can take on many different forms, but anything that involves one parent nurturing or encouraging a child’s rejection of the other parent could potentially constitute parental alienation.
For example, your child’s other parent may try to make your child believe that you pose a threat to him or her, or that you do not want your child’s relationship with the other parent to continue, even if this is inaccurate. In some cases, one parent who consistently badmouths the other in front of a shared child may, too, be encouraging parental alienation.
If you believe your son or daughter’s other parent is working to turn your child against you, do not hesitate to speak up. Many experts in the field of child psychology now assert that parental alienation is a form of abuse, and that it can have serious, long-term effects on your child’s emotional well-being. You can find more about child custody issues by exploring our webpage.