Question: How can I tell if my child is experiencing parental alienation?
Answer: According to the experts, parental alienation takes a variety of forms. In the mildest form, alienating parents might:
- Seem indifferent as to whether visitation with the target parent happens
- Not going to a place or event where the target parent might be
- Not encouraging communication with the target parent between visits
At a moderate stage, an alienating parent may:
- Actively discourage visitation
- Tune out any positive comments about the other parent
- Avoid speaking to the other parent—communicating through the child
- Try to keep the target parent away from them (“Dad can pick you up, but he needs to stay in his car.”)
- Destroying photos, gifts or other things given by the target parent to the child or the family
At a more severe or advanced stage, the alienating parent may:
- Tell known lies about the target parent
- Overtly criticize the target parent in front of the children
- Encouraging the children to keep secrets from the target parent
- Threaten to withhold love or privileges if the child “sides with” the target parent
