It is common to start forming a bond with your child as soon as he or she is born. In some cases, parents in Georgia or other states overly rely upon their children to meet their emotional needs. This can become problematic during a divorce as a parent may pressure a son or daughter to support them as opposed to the other parent.
Alienation stems from anger or other negative emotions
When your marriage comes to an end, you may feel a variety of emotions such as guilt, anger or shame. In some cases, you may have a greater emotional reaction than your spouse to the prospect of getting divorced. However, it is important to not use your child as a way to extract revenge from your former spouse. In some cases, individuals will try to convince their children that the other parent is a bad or dangerous person. Over time, a child may begin to believe what he or she is told or start to parrot talking points provided by a parent.
How to put a stop to alienating behaviors
If your former spouse is attempting to isolate you from your child, there are many ways that you can put an end to that person’s efforts. For instance, it may be possible to get a court order that allows your children to live in your home. The other parent may be allowed supervised visitation rights, assuming that this person gets help for his or her emotional issues.
It may be possible to put relationships back together
Over time, your children and their other parent may be able to create a healthy and positive relationship. A therapist may create a safe space for the alienating parent and your children to express themselves and overcome their past issues.
An attorney may be able to provide insight into how you can craft a parenting plan that meets your child’s needs after a divorce becomes final. In some cases, this might result in obtaining sole physical and legal custody.
