Identifying & Addressing Parental Alienation
Contents
Sometimes, the parent does this unintentionally, not meaning to expose their child to all that negativity. Other times, however, the parent will do this in an attempt to bring the child over to their side, often under the notion that this will help in the child custody case.
Parental alienation in a Texas child custody case can escalate this already contentious part of a divorce, which has long been associated with parents trying to make each other look bad, to a level where one parent manipulates a child or children to reject the other parent without a valid cause.
While parental alienation has always happened in bitter divorce battles involving children, only recently have family courts in Texas begun to take notice and take action when this happens, as they realized that this could profoundly harm the child or children caught in the middle of a child custody case.
Sometimes, parents are motivated to do this because they sincerely believe having custody is what is best for the child. Other times, parents will fight each other out of spite over the separation, or fear that their ex-spouse will cut them out of the child’s life forever.
This is where parental alienation often occurs, something that often requires the assistance of a competent Austin family law attorney.
What is Parental Alienation in Texas?
In a formal sense, “parental alienation” happens when one parent intentionally manipulates the child (or children) to cause him or her to reject the other parent without a valid cause. In many cases, a parent will vilify and demean the other parent in front of a child, causing him or her to share feelings of hurt and anger, which then strains the relationship between the child and the other parent.
Sometimes, the parent does this unintentionally, not meaning to expose their child to all that negativity. Other times, however, the parent will do this in an attempt to bring the child over to their side, often under the notion that this will help in the child custody case.
What are the Signs of Parental Alienation?
If your Texas divorce is contentious, so much so that it has resulted in a bitter child custody battle, do not discount the possibility of parental alienation happening to you. Here are some signs that your ex-spouse is alienating you from your child.
- Your child suddenly acts and talks in a disrespectful manner, especially when around the other parent;
- Your child suddenly stops communicating with you in the middle of the divorce proceedings;
- Your child refuses to spend any time with you;
- Your child destroys gifts, mail, or other items you gave them;
- Your child refuses to hear anything bad/negative about the other parent;
- Your child is also disrespectful to your extended family.
If you suspect that you are a victim of parent alienation in the middle of a child custody case, talk to a family law attorney to take the appropriate action.
Why Does Parental Alienation Happen?
Oftentimes, parents intentionally or unintentionally alienate the other parent because they sincerely believe that having custody is what’s best for their child or children. Other times, parents will smear each other out of spite over the divorce or out of fear that their ex-spouse will cut them out of their child, or children’s, lives.
Under the Texas Family Code, the Court, which will always act in the best interest of the child, will try to ensure that both parents are equally involved in their child’s life. But the problem is that identifying parental alienation can be a counterintuitive process, as any judge or juror would tend to assume that children who dislike one parent must be doing so because of a valid reason. Assumptions would then point to abuse or neglect at the hands of the alienated parent.
Consequences of Parental Alienation
Conditioning a child to hate one parent through propaganda can be extremely harmful to a child’s development, as well as his or her emotional and mental well-being. For all intents and purposes, manipulating a child to believe that one parent has been abusive or unloving is tantamount to child abuse.
But as family courts continue to realize the reality of parental alienation, the burden of proving its existence during a child custody battle will ultimately fall on the shoulders of a capable family law attorney.
If you feel that you are being alienated from your child, a Texas divorce attorney will help you by recommending and facilitating these measures:
- Calling in mental health experts to assess the psychological state of the child and your relationship with him or her
Seeking custody modification to move the child to a neutral dwelling - Seeking custody arrangements that let you maintain contact with the child
- Requesting the court to order therapy as an intervention
How to Fight Parental Alienation
Interestingly enough, when the court recognizes one parent’s attempts to alienate the other, it may see this as harmful to the child’s well-being and award custody to the maligned parent. Of course, there are cases when the court fails to recognize that parental alienation is happening, allowing the alienating parent to get away with his or her smear campaign.
This is where an Austin child custody attorney comes in, helping you fight back by taking these measures:
- Call in mental health experts to assess the psychological condition of your child and your relationship with him or her;
- Seek custody modification to move the child to a neutral environment;
- Seek custody arrangements that let you stay in contact with your child despite his or her refusal to see you;
- Request the court to order therapeutic intervention;
- Seek the appointment of a family or parental coordinator.
