As an Alabama parent who wants what is best for his or her children, you may have struggled with finding the right words to let your kids know that you were filing for a divorce. If you have children in various age groups, you no doubt noticed that each child reacted a way that is unique to his or her personality and level of maturity. Child custody issues are a priority when a pair of parents decides to go their separate ways.
Once the court issues a child custody order, you and your ex are obligated to adhere to its terms. If you’re one of many parents who believes a co-parent is trying to turn your kids against you, you can bring the matter to the court’s attention. Parental alienation is a term that refers to malicious attempts by one parent to destroy the parent/child relationship for the other parent.
How do you know if your ex is attempting a parental alienation scheme?
Children naturally love both of their parents. The court typically believes that children fare best in a divorce when they maintain active, healthy relationships with both parents. It is not normal for children to suddenly turn away from a parent, and this may be a sign that their other parent is instigating an alienation scheme. The following list shows signs that are cause for concern:
- Your ex is constantly putting you down in front of your kids.
- Someone has convinced your kids that you blame them for your divorce.
- When you call your kids or try to FaceTime them, etc., they refuse to talk to you.
- They treat their other parent as if he or she can do no wrong.
- Your ex has refused to transfer custody at agreed-upon times.
- Your ex has brought the kids to you to transfer custody, but they refused to get out of the car.
The issues listed here are common signs of parental alienation. A parent who wants to alienate you from your kids may be willing to lie to them about you, even going so far as to tell them that you don’t love them.
What to do to stop a parental alienation attempt
Sadly, if children have become convinced that one of their parents doesn’t love them or is the cause of the family’s problems, it can take a long time to restore the relationship, even if proof shows that there was an ongoing attempt to alienate them from their mother or father.
If you suspect that your ex is trying to turn your kids against you, the last thing you’ll want to do is have a confrontation in front of the kids. After all, they already think you’re the problem, and that might make matters worse. Instead, keep in mind that both parents must always adhere to a child custody order. Also, remember that a family court judge can enforce an order that one is currently disregarding.
