The process of divorce can be extremely testing for all parties. However, the procedure can be even more challenging when children are at the heart of decisions.
Unfortunately, there are occasions where one parent may try and turn the children against the other. This phenomenon is frequently referred to as parental alienation. Alienating a child from one of their parents can be significantly damaging for both parties. As a result, it is worth considering whether or not it may be possible to spot key factors that give way to this phenomenon early on before its negative impact becomes deeply rooted.
Your spouse may seek to damage your reputation
Occasionally, your spouse may seek to damage your reputation by speaking badly of you in front of the children. This could involve placing the blame on you for the separation. Additionally, a spouse might make false accusations against you with the sole purpose of attempting to paint you in a negative light in front of your child.
There may be efforts to interfere with your scheduled visits
Various legally binding custodial agreements can be reached both in and out of the courts. It could be the case that you have mandated visits at certain times of the week. Your spouse could attempt to interfere with this process by giving the impression to the child that they have a choice. They may even suggest that the child can do something special with them on your assigned date instead. This can result in your child not wishing to visit and believing that you are forcing them to do something against their will.
Your child may share personal details about the divorce
While it can be beneficial to communicate openly with children in an age-appropriate manner, there may be personal details that are of no benefit for them to hear. Your child may start sharing personal information that they could have only heard from the former spouse. Often, this involves stories that are either exaggerated or untrue, which may lead them to form negative opinions about you.
Being aware of the common signs of parental alienation could help you maintain your parent-child bond after a divorce. It is always important to remember that you have legal rights as a parent in California.
