What Does Parental Alienation Mean in an Illinois Divorce?

 Posted on September 20,2024 in Child Custody

While many painful aspects of divorce can challenge families, parental alienation is one of the worst. One parent manipulating a child to turn the child against the other parent can seriously harm the parent and child alike. By violating the child’s sense of security as well as the ability to trust their own opinions, specifically about their parents, parental alienation can lead to significant mental and emotional harm. It can be so damaging that it is recognized as a form of child abuse in the state of Illinois.

If you are concerned that you might be the victim of parental alienation, speak with a qualified Naperville, IL child custody lawyer to understand how this could impact your custody arrangement.

What Exactly Is Parental Alienation?

A major reason why a lot of parents stay in an unhappy marriage is because they do not want to hurt their children. While it is incredible to be able to prioritize your child’s well-being above your own, it is not always logical.

 Often, children of parents in a bad marriage have a worse time than children of parents who are divorced and, therefore, happier in their lives. Unfortunately, some parents try to manipulate their children to harm their relationship with their other parent, even though it can be emotionally and psychologically damaging to the child.

One parent can try to alienate the child from the other parent through a couple of methods:

• Direct actions: If your ex stops you from having your court-mandated visitation or speaks negatively about you to the child, these would be examples of direct actions taken to turn the child against you.
• Subtle actions: If your ex repeats negative associations with you, constantly speaks about you as the reason for anything bad happening, or makes sure to schedule exorbitantly fun and positive events during their time with your child with the hope of your time together not holding up under comparison, these would be examples of more indirect methods of manipulation.

What Can I Do if I Am the Victim of Parental Alienation?

Parental alienation is considered a form of child abuse, and accusations about it are treated very seriously by Illinois courts. If you can demonstrate that this is happening, there are several options for how it might be remedied:

• Custody modifications: The court might modify the existing custody arrangement, possibly changing physical custody or visitation rights to ensure that the child can have a healthy relationship with both parents. The alienating parent’s parenting time might be reduced.
• Parenting classes and Counseling: The other parent might be ordered by the court to attend parenting classes or family therapy to correct their conduct. Individual counseling for the child and either of the parents might also be court-mandated to overcome the alienation.
• Supervised visitation: In extreme cases, the court might order supervised parental visitation to ensure the child’s safety and emotional well-being.

As with all matters that involve a child, any decision the court makes will be motivated by whatever is deemed in the child’s best interest. In some cases, a guardian ad litem might be appointed for the sole purpose of advocating for the child’s interest while these issues are resolved.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Naperville, IL Parental Alienation Lawyer

If your ex is trying to manipulate your child to turn your child against you, speak with an experienced DuPage County, IL family law attorney. While it can cause mental and emotional harm, the good news is that if caught early enough, parental alienation can be stopped and treated with therapy and a commitment to improving your relationship with your child. At Pesce Law Group, P.C., we are passionate about helping families overcome challenges and move on to the next chapter. Call us at 630-352-2240 to schedule a free consultation.