Filing a Motion for Contempt for Parental Alienation deals with the offending behavior head on.
Is one parent causing the child to turn on the other? Has the parent-child relationship been damaged by the words or actions of the custodial parent?
Any well drafted Parenting Plan has language that forbids parents from engaging in alienating behavior. For example, “Neither parent shall do or utter anything that would estrange the child from the other parent or injure the opinion of the child as to the other parent.” Other common prohibitions include: “Neither parent should act in such a way as to hamper the free and natural development of the child’s love and respect for the other parent.” There are other variations off this theme.
Sound familiar? If this type of language is part of your Parenting Plan then the parent is legally bound by court order to follow it. If they’re not, then file a Motion for Contempt. Now.
And here’s why you should:
The dynamic rarely, if ever, gets better without holding the offending parent accountable. This is why if you are the targeted parent you have to be proactive. You have to move quickly to regain access to your child. Time is the enemy of the targeted parent and the ally of the offending parent.
In addition, do not allow the child, even an older teenager, to decide when he or she will see you. Sure there are exceptions but you are the adult – you set the rules. This plays out as a result of the offending parent suggesting a “cooling off” period between you and your child. The cooling off period will turn to ice and it won’t thaw.
Move quickly when there is parental alienation.
Email me or call me in Fairfield at (203) 259-5251 or in Stamford at (203) 356-1475 to discuss Contempt for Parental Alienation.