Does your child show signs that they don’t want to spend time with you like before? Don’t they like anything you do? Or are they drifting away from you with time?
If this happens along with other indications, then take it as a serious warning of parental alienation. It may be your partner or ex-spouse putting all the negative thoughts in your child’s innocent mind. The chances are very high.
So, what to do? Is there anything that you can do to prevent this from happening? Well, the good news is, yes. You can do it!
In the following article, we will discuss how to prove parental alienation in detail, along with some serious signs of parental alienation in children.
Let’s begin with understanding what parental alienation is:
What is Parental Alienation?
Parental alienation is the harmful things a parent conducts to make a child feel that the other parent is not good. In a word, it is like total brainwashing or manipulation of the child against one of the parents. Due to this, the child may either start to avoid or abandon the other parent.
Although the child shows this kind of behaviour, the leading reason for this kind of activity is the negative things that one parent puts up in their innocent mind. This is nothing but taking full control over the child.
In legal terms, the parent who makes false claims is known as the alienator or alienating parent. On the other hand, the other parent falsely accused is referred to as the alienated parent.
Below are examples of parental alienation that will clear your thoughts:
- “Your father doesn’t love you like he used to. He only cares about his friends and other family members. And thus don’t want to spare any time for you.” Lying to the child
- “I am the one who takes care of all your needs while your mother doesn’t have a minute for you. So, even after knowing all these things, you want to take her side, not mind?
If so, leave with her and forget your old daddy, who loves you with all his heart,” showing a sign of rage or trying to manipulate the child.
- “Your father doesn’t earn enough to even fulfill the necessities. I am afraid he will not be able to take good care of you, especially at your growing stage.” criticizing the other partner while negatively showcasing them in front of the child.
What are the Signs of Parental Alienation in Children?
Parental alienation is always bad and has a huge negative impact on a child’s mental health. This is a practice through which you take away your child’s healthy life and put their future in danger without considering the consequences. A child, while growing up, needs both his father’s and mother’s love to have a normal happy life.
So, what are the signs that you can understand your child is indeed a victim of parental alienation?
Check out the below key points:
- Extreme hatred or fear of the alienated parent
- Making false accusations about the alienated parent
- Having zero guilt about all the negative feelings and mistreatment against the alienated parent. In the worst scenario, they even say they hate you and don’t want to see your face again.
- The total idolization of the alienating parent without saying any word
- The unwavering support of the alienating parent
How to Prove Parental Alienation? [7 ways to do]
Parental alienation is common during the parent’s separation. It mostly happens during child custody fights, taking drastic forms if not taken step earlier.
It affects your child from getting away from your life to seeing hatred in their eyes and mental health. Hence, it is a serious issue that needs an immediate solution.
So, how to prove it?
Here is a list of the things that you can do to prove that parental alienation is occurring:
1. Always keep detailed records, both the good and the bad
Keep a daily log of everything between your child and your ex-spouse, including discussions and events, even if they seem ordinary or unimportant at the time.
This record of interactions with your ex and child can come in handy to show that parental alienation is certainly happening. Such as describing how your ex and your child have behaved.
If possible, try to keep all communications verbal as much as possible. So that in case your ex-spouse tries to alter any conversations, you can ideally show the proof that they are lying and anything such didn’t happen.
If you have a conversation, immediately afterward, note what was stated. As a result, keeping a detailed track, starting from the early stage, will help in the long run.
2. Get therapist or counsellor testimony
If you can take your child to a therapist or counsellor, this professional can help you by depicting the observations they notice in the child. This information can come in handy to prove parental alienation.
A child’s mental health and peace are affected most by parental alienation. You can get their therapist or counsellor’s testimony stating that the child shows parental alienation syndrome.
If the child refuses to see a therapist/counsellor or your former spouse highly objects, you can request a court order in this scenario.
3. Find alienation witnesses
Any family member, friend, neighbor, or other person who have witnessed your former partner belittling or demeaning you in front of the child can testify on your behalf. This witness can also play an active role in making your grounds stronger.
For instance, your child’s teacher has started to notice a significant change in your child’s behaviour after they started leaving with your former spouse.
4. Show social media posts
This area is currently the most powerful evidence using which you can prove parental alienation quite easily and effectively. People tend to believe things the more they see with their eyes. Such as, it can be anything ranging from a post to a single comment that can work as strong evidence.
In most cases, after the separation, the chances are high that you don’t have access to your former spouse’s social media accounts, as they have blocked you from all the platforms.
Here, in this case, you can take the help of a reliable family member or close friend connected to their account. If they agree, you can ask them to make copies, like taking screenshots or saving your ex-spouse’s posts blaming or accusing you wrongly.
Besides, it is also a pretty good idea to monitor your child’s accounts closely for any kind of posts related to you.
5. Show text messages, emails, and voicemails
Anything, from text messages to emails or voicemails coming directly from your former spouse, can strengthen your case. It can work as a substantial piece of evidence that shows parental alienation.
Such as angry texts are quite effective in proving parental alienation, especially when your child repeats and gives you the same accusations similar to your ex-partner’s messages.
6. Take legal advice
The entire situation may seem like a total mess up, and you feel more frustrated than anything. After all, which parent can stay calm after seeing hatred in their child’s eyes, that too, without doing anything?
Well, it is totally understandable. But remember to turn things around; you need to keep a calm state of mind, no matter what. Otherwise, the situation can take a worsening state, which is something you will never want.
This is where an experienced lawyer can come to the rescue. From talking to the witnesses, therapists, and judges, offering guidance, and conducting all the legal works correctly and on time, they can make things easier for you.
Besides, in this one of the most challenging times, human beings tend to get emotional and have trouble thinking with a straight head. So, taking matters into your own hands can make it more difficult, along with making wrong decisions. Here, a single mistake is enough to cost you the entire case, losing your valuable child.
7. A piece of advice for the parents going through this phase!
Although tough, try to talk with your child as much as possible and remind them of all the good times they have spent together.
Assure them good times will come back, and, most importantly, they will always be loved and cared for without any conditions.
Is Parental Alienation Illegal?
Parental alienation is neither a crime nor grounds for suing your ex-spouse in Regina, Saskatchewan. If you believe your ex-spouse has participated in a pattern of behavior that constitutes parental alienation, your divorce settlement will be your only avenue for redress.
Because the scenario involves concerns of child custody and visitation, family courts can handle it. Judges always put the child’s best interests first when dealing with parental alienation. They look at what’s best for the child, even if no laws are broken.
In cases of parental alienation, judges have a tough job. They need to stop one parent from harming the child’s relationship with the other parent. They can make court orders to prevent this and try to make things better between the child and both parents. Their main goal is to create an environment where the child can be happy and healthy, even when things are complicated in the family.
What Scenarios Don’t Count as Parental Alienation?
There we share two common occurrences that are not countable for parental alienation.
If any, abusive parent loses the relationship with his or her children for abusive behavior, and then if he or she claims the other parent does abusive things with the children, that claim won’t be countable for parental alienation.
Any neglectful parent never be able to build a good bond with the children. Such parents may be partially or completely absent from the children. And after time when the children become older, they even don’t want to meet with their parents and sometimes they blame the parents for alienation and other issues.
Closing Notes
If you have any further inquiries about proving parental alienation, it’s important to address them promptly. Parental alienation is a significant concern, and to combat this detrimental practice, it’s essential to seek the expertise of experienced family lawyers who excel in this area.
After all, along with the pain of losing your child, the child has to suffer in the fighting and hatred of their parents. The more a parent can understand the grief of this situation and its consequences, the better it will be for their children’s well-being and future lives.
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