Divorce gives many the chance to start over while continuing to foster those relationships that are important to them. However, for some parents, divorce can signal the beginning of future conflicts with the ex, especially when it comes to any involved children.

One of the most harmful actions that parents can engage in after divorce is alienation of the child from the other parent. This describes situations where one parent is manipulating or forcing the child into limiting contact with the other parent, and can manifest in a variety of ways.

For today’s post, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest warning signs that could suggest the other parent is alienating you from your child. If you suspect you are a victim of parental alienation, remember that the family law attorneys at R & S Law Group, LLP are here to help

Parental Alienation Can Manifest in Many Forms

Here’s just some of the behaviors and signs that could clue you to the other parent’s attempts at alienating you from your child:

• The child is forced to choose a side: Manipulative parents will force children to make decisions about who they want or prefer to spend time with, and may position it as a competition. Worse yet, they may be threatening or penalizing the child if he/she chooses “incorrectly.”
• The child doesn’t want a parent to come along or visit: There are times when children withdraw into themselves and wish to spend less time with parents, but a sudden change or a lack of invites to rehearsals, games, events, and more could be signs of alienation. 
• The child blames one parent for emotional/financial problems: Many times, when a child focuses their anger or places the blame on just one parent, this can be a sign that the other parent is manipulating them or feeding them a certain narrative. 
• The child makes false allegations against a parent: Unfortunately, there are cases where one parent tricks or forces a child to make serious allegations against the other parent, including claims of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. This is a traumatic and sadly often effective way to alienate a parent, even if just temporary. 
• The child asks lots of questions about the other parent’s lifestyle: Healthy parent-child relationships don’t include scenarios where someone uses their child to dig around for gossip or information. That said, parents are not above using a child to get details about the ex, and this itself is a form of alienation as it can poison the interactions of a child and parent.  

Rely on a Compassionate and Skilled Family Law Attorney in CA

Parental alienation is often one of the most difficult scenarios that divorced parents have to navigate, and these behaviors are highly destructive. If you suspect that parental alienation is at play in your relationship with your child, this issue must be handled carefully. 

Count on the seasoned divorce and family law expert at R & S Law Group, LLP. We have the experience and knowledge to walk you through any complex family law matter, including those where the other parent is deliberately trying to sabotage your relationship with your child. 

We offer free initial consultations, where you can take the time to talk to one of our attorneys at length. Call us at (949) 825-5245 today to schedule a free initial consultation.