Claremont Parental Alienation Attorneys

One of the greatest fears expressed by divorcing parents is that they will be unable to maintain a close relationship with their children after a split. Sadly, some parents find this fear come to pass as the result of a deliberate campaign by their co-parent to turn their child against them. As the phenomenon of parental alienation gains more attention and study from child psychologists and researchers, California family court judges have also begun to give more credibility to the concerns of parents who believe that their relationships with their children are being harmed by the other parent.

Victims of parental alienation may have a right to court intervention to interrupt this destructive cycle. If you believe that your child is being turned against you through dishonest or disparaging comments by a co-parent, contact our parental alienation attorneys at Blasser Law for a free consultation.

What Is Parental Alienation?

Parental alienation is an estrangement of a child from one of their parents as the result of words and actions of the other parent intended to create feelings of separation and hostility in the child toward the parent. Basically, one parent is attempting to brainwash their child into believing that the other parent is bad by repeating negative messages about the parent or by framing things that have happened as evidence that the parent doesn’t love or want to see their child. Examples of attempts to alienate a parent include:

• A parent who tells their child, “your father cancelled your visit because he doesn’t want to see you,” when the truth is that a work emergency arose for the father
• A parent telling the child that the other parent has a substance problem, is a liar, or has some other serious character flaw
• A parent repeating that the other parent left because they “didn’t love us”
• A parent undermining the other parent’s authority by convincing the child that they have poor judgment and cannot be trusted

Research has shown that parental alienation isn’t only painful for the affected parent but can also harm the child’s feelings of self-worth. Children begin life by identifying with both parents, and when they hear consistently that one of these parents is cruel, lazy, or uncaring, then the children internalize that message and may experience depression or poor self-esteem.

What Are the Signs?

• A parent who often involves the child in the dispute between the parents, or who remains very bitter toward their ex
• A child who suddenly does not want to go on scheduled visits
• The child mentions comments that the other parent has made
• A child who becomes cold and distant towards their parent
• A child who no longer respects the authority of their parent

Parental alienation can have major, long-term repercussions on your relationship with your child. If you believe that your co-parent is attempting to alienate you from your child, it is critical that you act to bring this behavior to a stop before your relationship is irreversibly damaged. California family courts may order a psychological evaluation, reunification therapy, or even a change in custody arrangement to help restore a parent’s relationship with their child after alienation occurs. The Claremont family law attorneys at Blasser Law can help you fight for the changes you need to ensure that your relationship with your child is allowed to flourish.

Get Help with Child Custody Matters in Los Angeles

For seasoned, compassionate, and experienced help with a California custody determination or divorce, contact the Claremont offices of Blasser Law for a free consultation on your case at 877-927-2181.