When you and your ex end your marriage on a bitter note, it is often your children who suffer from unwarranted negativity the most. If you have been noticing major shifts in your children’s behavior and their daily interactions with you, stay vigilant and look for signs of parental alienation.
What is parental alienation?
Parental alienation (PA) is a phenomenon that parents around the world face and struggle to deal with. This psychological act happens when one parent tries to harm the other parent’s image by emotionally manipulating their children into disliking or hating them.
For example, you have always had a good relationship with your children. However, after the divorce, you start to notice that your children are becoming distant and rejecting your feelings of affection. This situation may happen because your ex is attempting to ruin their relationship with you.
Is it a form of psychological child abuse?
Depending on the severity of the case, parental alienation can cause significant levels of emotional distress (e.g., anxiety, depression) and long-term psychological issues (e.g., fear of abandonment, trust issues) for the children involved.
Many alienated children develop unhealthy coping mechanisms that they may later carry into adulthood, affecting the way they view the world and scarring their personal relationships in the process.
What are the warning signs of PA?
The signs of PA may be subtle or obvious and can vary from family to family. Here are five warning signs to look out for:
They develop selective memory
They may selectively forget any recollection of positive stories or feelings with the alienated parent (you).
They talk negatively about you
They may start to speak differently about you, oftentimes in a negative approach or through forms of active criticism.
They view your ex as the perfect parent
They may idealize their favored parent and begin to view them as the perfect one. Two obvious signs of this include taking your ex’s side in arguments and seeing no fault in them.
They act cold and distant
They may show signs of withdrawal through being unresponsive and expressing disinterest towards you.
They are hateful towards your extended family
Because of the severity of emotional manipulation, they may extend their hateful behaviors toward your family members.
It is crucial to recognize the red flags of PA and document them in detail. By seeking the guidance of a family law attorney, they can evaluate your situation and help strategize a legal course of action that aims to protect your children’s best interests.
What are the legal consequences of parental alienation?
In Minnesota, parental alienation allegations are taken seriously by the courts. These cases can be a serious ground of re-assessment of custody and parenting time arrangements. If the allegations are proven to be true, the court may alter the divorced couple’s primary residence, adjust the visitation frequency or change the custody arrangement into primary custody.
If you believe that your ex is trying to alienate you from your children, it is important to prevent any further damage to your children’s psychological health and take legal action as soon as possible.