Parental Alienation in New York | What You Need to Know

Parental Alienation in New York | What You Need to Know

Parental alienation occurs when a spouse tries to actively destroy the relationship of the other parent with their child. In order to do this, the spouse may put ideas into the child’s head about negative feelings toward their parent. Since children are young and impressionable, they may start to believe their parent’s manipulation. Children assume that what their parents tell them is true. As a result, children may start to change their behavior around the parent that the alienation is being targeted at. A child may become violent or aggressive when interacting with the targeted parent. In other cases, the child may become distant and/or upset when the other parent is around. Parental alienation can have a serious impact on your relationship with your child, and your child’s well-being. As a result, it is important to put an end to this behavior as soon as possible. 

What Does it Look Like and How Can I Prove It?

Parental alienation may take the form of:

  • Passive verbal jabs about the other parent
  • Outright badmouthing the other parent
  • Pretending to “save” the child from certain situations that the child simply does not need saving from

In order to provide proof of parental alienation, you should:

  1. Document disparaging remarks: For example, if your ex-spouse sends a bitter text or leaves you an angry voicemail, you should document these incidents.
  2. Record incidents: If your child quotes something their other parent has said, you may want to keep a record of this quote in a journal.
  3. Preserve social media evidence: Unfortunately, many people post every detail of their lives on social media, meaning your ex may be speaking ill of you on these public platforms. If this occurs, be sure to take screenshots.
  4. Observe behavior: Sometimes, your child will begin to act differently as a result of parental alienation. This behavior may include violent outbursts or a more distanced demeanor.

What Can be Done to Stop it?

If you can prove to a judge that parental alienation is occurring, the judge may decide to change your custody arrangement. Your ex-spouse may get less time with your child, and therefore less time to be a negative influence. Reach out to an experienced family law attorney who can help you collect evidence, present your case, and more.

If you believe you are a victim of parental alienation, contact our skilled firm today.

Contact our experienced Nassau County firm

The Pollack Law Firm, P.C., rated Nassau County’s “BEST” divorce lawyers and proudly serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk County for more than 22 years, is always available to assist and represent parties in divorce, separation and all other matrimonial and family law matters. Contact us online or call today to schedule your complimentary case analysis: (516) 938-3330.

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