Recognizing the Symptoms of Parental Alienation During Your Illinois Divorce

 Posted on October 29, 2020 in Family Law

Divorcing with children means you must pay attention to and come to an agreement on a slew of additional issues other than your usual divorce topics. Making decisions and coming to a consensus on things such as parenting time agreements and child support payments with your spouse can seem like you are running a marathon, especially if you and your spouse are not on the friendliest of terms. In some cases, the child can even become stuck in the middle of the parental conflict and become a victim of parental alienation. This type of parenting behavior can be harmful to your child’s wellbeing, which is why you should take action at the first sign of alienation.

What is Parental Alienation?

In the simplest words, parental alienation occurs when one parent attempts to damage the relationship between the other parent and their child. The alienating parent will display unjustified negativity toward the alienated parent, with the intent that the child’s emotions will turn against that parent. Not only is parental alienation extremely stressful and emotionally painful for the alienated parent, it causes emotional distress for the child and is actually considered by most mental health professionals to be emotional abuse.

Signs and Symptoms of Parental Alienation

Parental alienation can have a devastating effect on children, especially if the emotional abuse goes on for too long. The best thing to do if you suspect your spouse is trying to turn your child against you is to look for the signs of parental alienation to prevent it from happening or stop it while it is in its early stages. Signs that parental alienation might be taking place include:

• The child parrots the language of the alienating spouse
• Many of the child’s beliefs are irrational or do not make sense
• Most of what the child believes has been told to him or her and is not from direct experiences
• The child has vehement hatred for the alienated parent, with no ability to see the good
• The child does not feel guilty about the way he or she has behaved toward the alienated parent
• The child seems normal until asked about the alienated parent, when the hatred is triggered

Speak With Our DuPage County Parental Alienation Attorneys Today

When you go through a divorce, there is so much at stake emotionally, both for you and your children. Though it may or may not happen intentionally, parental alienation is a serious issue and can be potentially harmful for your children if you do not take action. If you think that your spouse may be attempting to alienate your children, you should speak with our skilled Wheaton, IL parental alienation lawyers as soon as possible. At the Goostree Law Group, we can help you protect your family’s best interests. To schedule a free consultation, call our office today at 630-364-4046.

Sources:

https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/42152/parental_alienation_Lewis.pdf

https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/parental-alienation-syndrome#signs-and-symptoms