When a couple decides to get married, they hope they will remain together in a happy and loving relationship “till death do they part.” Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When the divorce or separation becomes messy, it is not unusual for some parents to turn kids against their exes.
Parental alienation, as this is known, occurs when a child is manipulated or influenced by one parent to have inaccurate feelings of hate, fear, resentment or disrespect towards the other parent. Unfortunately, parental alienation is a common theme in most family law cases.
Here are common signs that the other parent could be attempting to alienate you from your child.
1. Your child suddenly seems angry at you
A child who is manipulated to hate the other parent will tend to belittle all past positive experiences with the alienated parent. Instead, they will be filled with unfounded hatred for that parent. Manipulated children will also avoid or reject all forms of contact and communication with the parent they are being turned against.
2. They cannot give a rational explanation for their anger
Manipulated children will always lack a rational explanation when questioned about their fear, resentment or hatred of the alienated parent. Rather, they will come up with trivial explanations like they cannot stand how the said parent chews their foods. It is not unusual for a child to make wild yet untrue accusations against the alienated parent.
3. They justify the other parent’s bad behavior
A child who is being fed falsehood against the targeted parent will always show no remorse for the alienating parent’s wrong behavior. After all, they have been made to believe one parent is good and the other bad. Manipulated kids will often appear ignorant, rude and cold toward the alienated parent. They believe that the alienated parent deserves all the treatment they are receiving.
The end of a romantic relationship is not always easy to deal with. And it can just be as difficult, if not worse, for the kids. Children deserve a healthy relationship with both parents: Unfortunately, parental alienation robs them of this right. And the impact of parental alienation can remain with the kids for a very long time.
