Too often in a divorce, the gloves come off – and the split gets ugly!
If the children get caught in the divorce “cross-fire,” they can suffer severe emotional damages.
By putting the needs of your children first and working with a skilled child counselor and an experienced Charleston divorce lawyer, you can minimize many of the negative effects of divorce on your children.
Angry parents frequently engage in a behavior that is called “parental alienation.” As explained in a recent article in Psychology Today, parental alienation can have very damaging long-term impact on a child.
In my practice as a child custody lawyer in Charleston, I have seen many examples of parental alienation, including:
- Bad-mouthing the other parent.
- Limiting contact with the other parent.
- Forbidding the child from discussing the other parent.
- Giving the child the impression that the other parent is dangerous.
- Using threats and withdrawal of affection to force the child to take sides.
- Reducing contact with the other parent’s extended family.
- Telling a child: “Your mother doesn’t love you” or “Your father doesn’t want to see you tonight.”
When a parent pits a child against the other parent in this manner, he or she is showing that the “adult” in the relationship has not been able to separate the divorce conflict from the needs of the child.
The good news is that Charleston family court judges are sensitive to evidence of parental alienation. Our judges view parental alienation very negatively in deciding child custody cases and in ruling on subsequent motions to modify child custody.
If you believe that your spouse (or former spouse) is engaging in parental alienation, you should seek immediate help from an experienced Charleston divorce and child custody attorney.
To learn how you may be able to change your child custody order and help your child overcome the effects of parental alienation, please call me at 843-800-2928. As a Charleston child custody lawyer, I want to help you build a better future for your child.