Like many Ohio single parents, you might not get along well with your ex. There is a difference, however, between not getting along and alienating the children from the other parent’s life. Sadly, the latter is a far too common scenario.
Psychology Today defines parental alienation syndrome as the deliberate efforts of one parent to turn the kids against the other parent. If your ex-spouse is engaging in this behavior, he or she might use the following tactics on your children:
- Painting a bad picture about you to the children by making false accusations and negative comments and placing blame on you for everything
- Trying to pit other family members and friends against you and manipulate them to take his or her side
- Sabotaging your parenting time with the children
The mother is most often the parent who does the alienating against the father, although either or both parents can try to alienate the children against the other. Usually, the alienating parent is the least emotionally healthy and may also be more financially stable than the other one, therefore being better suited to take legal action. As you may suspect, alienating one parent is not only heartbreaking for the targeted parent, but can also be psychologically damaging to children, who love both parents and need them both in their lives.
It can be a tricky subject if your ex is attempting to turn your children against you. Therefore, this information is meant to educate you, but it should not take the place of the advice of a lawyer.
