Parental alienation can affect the outcome of your case.
Parental alienation can affect the outcome of your case.
Don’t think it can happen to you? We see all too often one parent’s attempt to damage a child’s relationship with the other parent to win at all costs. We call this parental alienation. At Toombs Imel & Associates, our mission is to safeguard you and your children from the destructive repercussions of this behavior.
It is important to recognize the signs of parental alienation in order to prevent it from occurring or address it if already present. For those facing parental alienation, it is advised to seek the counsel of a family law attorney who can tackle these issues before they become unfixable.
Children are not pawns: Warning Signs of Parental Alienation
Parental alienation, unlike physical abuse, does not leave physical wounds. However, this emotional abuse is unhealthy and traumatic for the child. This can be done intentionally or unintentionally, often occurring during or after divorce proceedings where emotions are high.
Negative comments about the other parent, refusal to cooperate on parenting decisions, manipulation of facts surrounding visitation times, and creating an environment that makes it difficult for children to have positive relationships with both parents are all forms of parental alienation.
Parents should aim to create a respectful atmosphere between themselves and the other parent, even if they are not on good terms, in order to avoid negative comments being heard by their child.
Parental alienation can occur in subtle ways.
- Mom comments that she cannot buy something for her child because Dad makes more money than she does.
- Dad comments that mom works too much and is worried that she can’t take care of the child.
- Mom comments that the Dad doesn’t care about the child because he is always late for visitation.
- Dad comments that the mom is to blame for breaking up the family.
- Disparagement includes verbal attacks, insults, belittling comments, and name-calling.
- Undermining authority by criticizing parenting decisions made by the other parent.
- Parentification involves role reversal where a parent asks the child to make decisions that the child is not mature enough to make such as asking the child if he or she wants to visit with the other parent.
- False allegations of domestic violence or child abuse.
What can I do about parental alienation?
Contact our experienced family law attorneys at Toombs Imel & Associates. We can be an invaluable resource for you and your family, providing legal options, therapeutic referrals, dispute resolution tactics and conflict reduction strategies to protect the rights of all parties involved.
We are equipped with resources and have expertise in navigating these types of high-tension disputes. Parents who engage in alienation too often believe they can get away with it. With the help of our legal team, we will work diligently to keep that from happening.