When going through a divorce, it is sometimes easy to lose track of the important things. For example, you may forget to check in on your child’s mental and emotional state. After all, this experience is just as traumatic for them.
Unfortunately, opportunistic co-parents might take this as a change to turn your child against you. This is parental alienation, and it can cause big issues for you and your child.
Abusive tactics used in parental alienation
Healthline discusses parental alienation syndrome and its related signs. As mentioned, parental alienation happens when a co-parent attempts to drive a wedge between you and your child. They may use potentially abusive tactics to accomplish this, which is why it is an issue for your child. In order to stop it where it stands, you need to know what warning signs to look out for.
Keep an eye out for small red flags
The earliest signs are sometimes hard to notice. For example, a child might show some behavioral changes. They might seem more aggressive or prone to angry outbursts. They could begin to reject peers and loved ones. They might go the other direction and start to withdraw from others. They could show signs of depression or anxiety and might appear gloomier than usual.
They might also begin to treat you in a harsher way. For example, they may have sudden complaints about the way you cook or clean when they had no previous problem with it. This might extend to your personal preferences, the company you keep and even how you accomplish daily chores.
If you notice these issues beginning to crop up, you may want to consider your options for handling parental alienation. That could explain what you are seeing.