Parental alienation is a type of child abuse characterized by one parent psychologically manipulating children to reject the other parent. It’s important to know that Colorado courts take this very seriously and will modify parenting time when one parent is hindering the other parents’ relationship with the children. Parents with custody must be extremely careful to avoid any appearance of parental alienation, and parents that are being rejected should know that there is a remedy. Whether you’re being accused of parental alienation or believe you’re a victim, it’s important to speak to an experienced Golden, Colorado family law attorney as soon as possible.
Signs Of Parental Alienation
These are some of the tactics that a parent may use to alienate the affection of the other parent:
- Disparaging remarks about the target parent in front of the children;
- Removing all pictures of the other parent from the home;
- Discussing specifics of the divorce case;
- Undermining parenting time by encouraging children to refuse to go;
- Implying the other parent is not capable or scary.
If your child is not willing to see you or is acting differently around you during your parenting time, it’s worth considering whether parental alienation is the cause. It’s important to speak to an experienced Colorado family law attorney who can help you develop a plan to improve the situation for you and your children.
Fighting Parental Alienation
It’s important for victims of parental alienation to fight back promptly to minimize the harm to the children. Start with gathering evidence such as texts, emails, letters, and voicemails that illustrate the problem. Keep a detailed log that includes specific information about your child’s behaviors. Colorado family courts take action on parental alienation and will amend parenting time, order supervised visitation or even change custody if parental alienation is proven. There are also cases where a parent is wrongfully accused of parental alienation by an abusive parent. In such cases, the child’s pleas not to see a parent because they are “scary” may have a valid basis.
Colorado Family Law Attorney
Whether you believe your ex is alienating your children or believe you’ve wrongly accused of parental alienation, it’s important to get advice from a family law attorney in Colorado as soon as possible to minimize the psychological harm to your children.
Call the attorneys at the Drake Law Firm now to schedule an appointment: (303) 261-8111.