In a heated custody dispute, the other parent might manipulate your child to turn them against you and to garner evidence that can be used to paint you in a bad light in court. This is parental alienation. And this manipulation can be extreme, too. In some instances, parents even go so far as to falsely accuse the other parent of abusing or neglecting the child, all in hopes of securing a more favorable custody arrangement. What can you do to protect yourself in these circumstances?
How to fight back against parental alienation
Even though you might feel like you’re backpedaling to defend yourself against wild accusations made by the other parent, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself and your child while setting the record straight. This includes:
- Securing terms in your custody order that are specific to what the other parent can and can’t do with your child so that you can minimize the risk of alienating behavior.
- Seeking to hold the other parent in contempt of court when they fail to abide by specific provisions of your custody order.
- Making requests to see your child in writing.
- Keeping a written journal that details visits with your child, how they behave toward you, and what they say.
- Discussing your child’s behaviors with the other parent and documenting how the other parent responds.
- Continuing to try to build or maintain a strong bond with your child.
- Seeking therapy for yourself and your child.
- Requesting a child custody evaluation.
Parental alienation can devastate your relationship with your child and cause them significant harm. Fortunately, you don’t have to let that happen. You can act now to build effective arguments aimed at stopping parental alienation and protecting your child. You can’t procrastinate, though, as time is of the essence. So, educate yourself as much as you can about parental alienation and the applicable child custody laws so that you can build the most aggressive and effective arguments possible in your case.