When a divorce occurs, emotions often run high. While this is normal, it can become dangerous when there are children involved. Sometimes, a parent is angry with his or her ex-spouse and attempts to turn their child against their ex. This behavior is known as parental alienation and it can have a major impact on a child. Read on to learn more about parental alienation in New York and what you can do about it.
What is Parental Alienation?
Parental alienation is a tactic used to turn a child against their parent. Sometimes you may not even be aware that this is occurring, but it can seriously impact your relationship with your child. Parental alienation may take the form of:
- Passive verbal jabs about the other parent
- Outright badmouthing the other parent
- Pretending to “save” the child from certain situations that the child simply does not need saving from
Children are vulnerable and they may be deeply affected by these behaviors. If you believe you are a victim of parental alienation, it is important to take action as soon as possible.
How Can I Prove Parental Alienation?
If you believe you are a victim of parental alienation, there are a few steps you should take.
- Document disparaging remarks: For example, if your ex-spouse sends a bitter text or leaves you an angry voicemail, you should document these incidents.
- Record incidents: If your child quotes something their other parent has said, you may want to keep a record of this quote in a journal.
- Preserve social media evidence: Unfortunately, many people post every detail of their lives on social media, meaning your ex may be speaking ill of you on these public platforms. If this occurs, be sure to take screenshots.
What Can I Do About it?
If you believe you are the victim of parental alienation, you should reach out to a family law attorney as soon as possible. This behavior can have significant and long-lasting effects on your child and it is important that it is put to a stop right away. Often, an attorney will request a child custody modification. If parental alienation is occurring, this modification may be justified on the grounds that by participating in parental alienation, the other parent is not doing what is in the child’s best interest, therefore violating your custody agreement.
If you believe you and your child are victims of parental alienation, contact our firm today.
CONTACT OUR FIRM
Matters of divorce and family law should be navigated with the guidance of an experienced attorney. If you need strong legal representation regarding matters of divorce, family law, and estate law, contact the Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. to schedule a consultation today.
