Parental alienation refers to the process by which one parent mentally manipulates a child into fearing or distrusting the other. It is unfortunately more common than you might think, with family law attorneys often witnessing signs of such behavior in difficult divorces. It not only harms parent-child relationships in the present, but also takes a toll on kids as adults. As such, it’s crucial to know what to look for.

Watch Out for These 5 Signs of Parental Alienation

1. Sharing Inappropriate Details

When going through a divorce, a child should have the security of knowing both parents are still there for them. To this end, most exes agree to spare kids the lurid details: For instance, they won’t tell the children if the other parent had an affair. If your ex starts sharing things like this, they may be trying to manipulate the child’s opinion.

2. Undermining Parental Authority

Daddy never lets the kids watch television until their homework is done—but mommy says it’s okay to view cartoons at any time. When one parent undermines another’s authority, for instance, by allowing kids to break set household rules, manipulation may be at play.

3. Failing to Communicate

Co-parenting after a divorce is all about communication. Say a child has a parent-teacher conference coming up, but one spouse does not tell the other, so only one adult is present. Failing to share information like this repeatedly could indicate an attempt to push the other parent out.

4. Impeding Parent-Child Time

Coordinating child visitation requires the cooperation of both parents. If your ex is making it difficult for you to visit with the kids—for instance, by consistently “mixing up” pickup times—they may be trying to reduce the amount of time you get to spend with the children.

5. Making Alliances

Sometimes, you might not notice signs of parental alienation until an alliance with the other parent has already been forged. If a child’s anger seems to be disproportionately directed at you, but they remain loyal to your ex, ask yourself why.

When a Family Law Attorney Is Needed

Alienation not only influences a child’s mind, but it can also impact a parent’s rights. Say, for example, your ex neglects to tell you about parent-teacher conferences or impedes visitation. They might subsequently argue you don’t actively parent and use this against you in a child custody dispute. A family law attorney will help you determine if this situation is occurring and work with you to develop a strategy to legally prove your fitness to parent.

Trust the family law attorneys of Payne Law Office to help you with divorce-related legal disputes. Known for their reliable and attentive legal advice, they will provide you with the personalized representation you need. You can view their Facebook page for more information. For a free consultation, call (402) 477-7246.