Sometimes in a divorce, one parent will have less contact with the child than the other parent. As unfortunate as it may be, parental alienation is quite common and the relationship between the parent and child becomes tarnished. The custodial parent may use the child to manipulate the other parent in an attempt to destroy their relationship. If one parent feels that they are being alienated, this may result in more time in court and further legal expenses. Once the case returns to court, the judges will have to act upon just the facts that they are given in court.
There are also situations in which a child will purposely alienate one of their parents after a divorce. They may even lie about abuses that never occurred in order to make it so they no longer have to have contact with their parent. While this is unfortunate, a divorce can have an extreme impact on a child’s life and therefore, they may resent one or both of their parents for the decision that has changed their life so drastically. Divorces can bring about anxiety and trust issues in a child.
Mental health professionals have even begun to classify this type of behavior as a disorder called Parental Alienation Syndrome. Some of the signs of parental alienation include extreme cases of anxiety or aggressive behavior in situations where the child never had these types of reactions. The child may begin refusing to attend their scheduled visitation time that was agreed upon in the custody agreements.
If you feel as though your child is alienating you after your divorce, you should contact an experienced family law attorney to discuss your options. You may able to attend mediation sessions or therapy sessions with your child in order to work out the issues that are tearing your family apart.
Paris P. Eliades Law Firm, LLC serves Sussex, Morris, and Bergen County with quality legal services regarding divorce and family law matters. If you need experienced representation and effective counsel, contact our Sparta office for a free consultation.
