After divorce, there’s a risk of something known as parental alienation syndrome. This can dramatically impact a parent’s relationship with their own child moving forward.
Parental alienation happens when one parent attempts to turn the child against the other parent. They will often manipulate the child, who may then reject the other parent or develop negative feelings toward them – such as fear or hate.
Why would a parent do this?
The biggest reason that this happens is when the parents are personally at odds. Maybe one person was unfaithful to the marriage, and that’s what caused the divorce. The parents are notably not on good terms.
Because of the emotions surrounding this situation, the parents may fight over custody. For instance, the parent who filed for divorce may also attempt to seek sole custody, believing that their unfaithful partner doesn’t deserve to be in their child’s life.
But courts will often rule in favor of shared custody, believing that it’s best for children to have a relationship with both parents. When sole custody isn’t provided, the other parent may decide to use parental alienation to turn their child against their former spouse. This can sometimes cause serious problems, such as a child refusing to live with the other parent in accordance with the custody schedule.
Legal complexities
Dividing child custody is always complicated, but it can be even more complex if parental alienation is a factor. Parents who find themselves going through this process need to be well aware of the legal options at their disposal – especially if they are worried their ex will not honor the custody order.